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by Thnx4theGum
Summary: Sequel to "Wonderful World" Newlyweds Booth and Bones adjust to life in the Witnes Protection Program and attempt to close the case before the killers close in on them. Rated T just in case things get intense.
1. The Morning After

Booth awoke the next morning refreshed and ready for the day. The hotel mattress was soft enough for him to feel comfortable, but firm enough that it didn't aggravate his back and Booth was half tempted to ask one of the staff where he could get one just like it. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so soundly.

Of course, yesterday had been a very busy day. They'd had the Lane kids in the morning, followed by a meeting with Cullen, Cam, Michaels, and Watson that promised to keep them busy for the rest of the afternoon preparing to go into the Witness Protection Program. On top of all of that, Bones had decided that if they were going to portray a married couple, they needed to _become_ a married couple and at seven that night that is exactly what had happened.

He looked over at the woman who lay sleeping beside him, smiling as he saw the two rings on her left hand that proved last night had not been a dream. He felt his heart swell with love for her. For close to four years he had endured lecture after lecture on the archaic nature of marriage. Every time a case came up that even brushed on the issue they would bicker the entire time. Sometimes things would go beyond bickering and become a full-fledged argument.

Then had come the mess that she had made trying to date two men simultaneously- one for their looks and one for their brains. He had shaken his head incredulously when he found out, certain that neither one of the men would agree to this type of thing up front. His partner could be so incredibly naïve sometimes it was laughable. The urge to laugh, however, had been squelched when he saw how deeply she had been hurt. She had honestly never expected either man to have a problem with what she was doing- despite Booth's warnings- and the rejection that was displayed on her face was palpable.

He had switched gears quickly and hurried her out of Sweets' office before the shrink said something stupid and set her off. From that night on they began spending even more time outside of work together, letting Sweets' "surrogate relationship" theory serve as their excuse.

Eleven days ago, he had taken her in his arms, danced with her in her living room, and stood breathless with wonder as she kissed him. And now, the woman who had sworn she would never marry, had. She had reasoned using whatever genius-level method that the one way to show she loved him as much as he loved her was to lay aside her personal philosophies and marry him.

"Enjoying the view?" her sleepy voice broke his reverie and he smiled as he met her eyes.

"Can't complain."

"So is it what you anticipated it being?" she asked next, shifting over onto her right side to face him.

"What?" he didn't know if she meant the wedding night- which had been incredible- or the actually wedding itself, or something else entirely.

"This," she took her left hand and placed it on his chest, "You know, marriage. Is it what you always anticipated it would be?"

"Well," he chuckled, "Seeing as it's only been a little over twelve hours since we were married I think I need a little bit more time to answer that question accurately. Though I gotta tell you that I love being able to do this whenever I want to," he pulled her toward him and into a long, deep kiss.

"You've been doing _that_," she breathed when they separated, "For the last several days, Seeley, how in the world does it make any difference now that we are married?"

"In two ways," he held up two fingers between them, "First, there will now be no need for me to go to confession for all of my lustful thinking; I've decided there's nothing like guilt-free lust and especially, guilt-free sex," he could tell that she really didn't get that, but for once she simply nodded and said nothing, "Second, when I kiss you now, there's a stability there that wasn't there before.

"I know you, Temperance, and I know you meant every single word that we spoke last night no matter how archaic it seemed to you. Just to know that we exchanged those vows, that we meant them, and that we're in this together for the long haul makes a huge difference. And it is an absolute turn-on to call you my wife," he grinned wolfishly and was rewarded with one of her brilliant smiles.

"I must acknowledge that I too feel an emotional stirring when I think of you as my husband as well," her fingers playing lightly up and down his chest, "It was not something I envisioned happening, though it is not at all unpleasant."

He captured her hand in his and began planting light kisses from her rings, up her arm, to her neck, until finally their lips met in an explosion of passion. This time, they didn't separate, but instead grew closer until they were once again breaking the laws of physics.

"Do you know what's ironic?" she asked, as she laid her head on his heaving chest.

"I can only imagine, Bones."

She slapped him lightly for his trouble.

"David and Kelly Keller have been married for ten years, where you and I in 'real life' so to speak, have only been dating for ten days and married for not even twenty-four hours. In fact, ten years ago you and I didn't even know one another."

"A little crazy, isn't it?" he asked, running his fingers through her tousled hair.

"Yes," she nodded, "Do you think the ploy will work?"

"I don't see why it wouldn't," he answered, "I mean, those guys came up with a great cover story. If anybody is looking for us or the kids it should throw them off base."

"Kelly Keller is a deplorably corny and unoriginal name," she grumbled.

"I can call you Bones if you want," he offered.

"And what would be your reasoning behind that given our cover story?"

"We're supposedly high school sweethearts, right?" he shrugged, "So I'll just say it was a pet name of yours from back then. Maybe you danced with the bio skeleton on a dare or something."

She laughed, "That would have been quite a dare and though I would be absolutely content to have you call me Bones rather than Kelly, it probably would not be wise. What would be wise, however," she said, pushing up off of his chest and standing up, "Is for us to get dressed and ready for the day. I believe Cullen would like us to move in and become acquainted with the house today, and from what I understand our personal effects will be arriving as well. I know that movers were hired but I am not sure how much of the set up will be left for us to handle ourselves. Plus, one of the first things I have planned for us to do as Maddie, Joey, and Sadie's parents is buy them new clothing that fits them, as well as toys and games for them. I also understand that there are several games out on the market that are geared for families with children of all ages that would be good to purchase as well."

Her plans stated, she headed off toward the bathroom, leaving him to chuckle quietly and drag himself out of bed. He loved how she never went at things half-heartedly, even when it did mean extra work for both of them. One of the things he knew he was going to miss the most in their newest assignment was getting to work side-by-side with her every day and he knew it was going to absolutely kill her not to be out in the field with him.

Following her lead, he stepped into the already steamy bathroom to join her in the shower. She was startled at first, but smiled as he grabbed the soap and began massaging her back with it. Then he moved to her hair, working the shampoo into her thick tresses and kneading her scalp with his fingertips. She sighed contentedly, then slid under the water to rinse off.

When she was finished, she turned him around and returned the favor, her soft, strong fingers loosening his muscles and causing his back to feel better than it had in years. Wrapping her arms around him and standing so close he could feel her breath on his neck, she proceeded to wash his arms and his chest. He turned around so that she could reach everything, stooping down a bit so she could wash his shoulders and neck.

A shared look between them decided that he was just a little too tall for either one of them to be comfortable with her washing his hair so he lathered it up himself. She was just about to step out of the shower, when he flung a handful of shampoo bubbles onto her back. Not realizing exactly what had happened, she frowned and stepped back under the water to rinse off. She turned to leave again, and again he hit her with a handful of bubbles.

"Booth," she frowned, "What are you doing?"

He didn't say anything, just grinned at her and threw a third handful of bubbles onto her chest. Growing frustrated, she scooped them off and threw them back at him. He grinned, accepting the challenge that was in her eyes and cupped his hands, collecting water in them and then flinging the water at her. She did the same, hitting him squarely in the chest. He grabbed hold of her arms, ignoring her shriek of protest and pulled her so that she was directly under the streaming water. Not to be outdone, she slipped deftly out of his grip and moved around the other side of him, pushing him slightly so that he was now under the water.

Soap and shampoo were dripping down his body and all around his eyes, making it harder for him to see.

"Stalemate?" he asked.

"Oh no," she shook her head, "I've definitely won this round."

"Oh yeah?" he shook his head, spraying water everywhere, "How do you figure?"

"Because no matter what you do next," she took a step closer to him, her voice dropping to a husky tone, "I can still," she ran a wet finger slowly and sensually down his chest until it hovered above his midsection, "Bring you to your knees in an instant."

His body was shaking involuntarily with pleasure as her hands and body drew nearer and nearer to him. He didn't have to look down to know she was absolutely right and he could see by the triumphant smirk on her face that she knew she had the upper hand. A groan escaped his lips as she moved even closer, her wet thigh brushing up against his.

"See?" she smiled cheerfully at him, "I told you!"

With a parting smirk and quick peck on his lips, she stuck her tongue out at him and jumped out of the shower before he could stop her again. Rinsing the last remaining flecks of soap off of himself, he turned the water off, hopped out, and ran a towel through his hair while wiping his feet on the thick bathmat before dashing into the other room after her.

He found her pulling clothes out of the small bag Angela had sent over to the hotel with them.

"Oh, Temperance," he said in a low voice as he snuck up behind her and swept her up into his arms.

"Booth!" she cried, "Put me down!"

"No can do, Bones," he shook his head menacingly at her, "You stuck your tongue out at me and now I need to punish you."

"You're getting my underwear wet," she protested.

He slid her bottoms off effortlessly and unhooked her bra before taking it off, "Problem solved," he grinned, quite proud of the fact that she was still firmly in his arms, unable to escape.

He put her down on the bed gently and straddled her, effectively pinning her underneath of him. Lowering his head, he captured her mouth in his, probing until he caught her tongue. He felt her body respond to his, her heart rate quickening as the kiss deepened and his hands roved.

Abruptly, he broke the connection, leaving her panting and breathless as he sat up and moved off of her.

"Truce?" he asked.

She nodded, still catching her breath as he took her hands and helped her to her feet.

"Apparently we are equal when it comes to making ourselves sexually alluring," she commented as she put her underwear back on, tossing a pair of clean boxers to him from the bag.

"I promise to only use my powers for good," he grinned wryly, winking at her as they changed.

She rolled her eyes at him before pulling her top over her head and he heard her mutter the words alpha male.

Once they were dressed and their things from the wedding were packed neatly in the garment bags they had come in, they walked over to the kitchenette that was tucked away in the back corner of the large suite. Booth got the coffee going while Bones hunted around for food. She came up with an unopened package of fresh bagels, some small boxes of assorted cereals, and an assorted variety of fresh fruit that was in the mini refrigerator. He, meanwhile, had found bowls, spoons, and two coffee mugs and they settled down on the two stools beside the counter to eat.

"Now _that_," he pointed to the champagne glass tub that stood towering in the center of the suite, "Was fun."

"Really?" she frowned slightly, "I found it somewhat cramped, not to mention having to mount stairs to get into it in the first place is completely impractical."

"It was a little slippery on the way down," he agreed, "Not saying we need to get one, or anything, just that I had fun in it with you."

"This has been a nice retreat," she nodded, "Especially considering the uncertain situation that lies ahead of us."

"Life's never certain," he brushed a stray bagel crumb away that was lodged in the corner of her lips, "But I promise, Temperance, once this case is closed, I'll take you on a proper honeymoon."

"I shall look forward to that, Seeley," she smiled, turning her stool so that their knees touched, "As long as I get to pay."

"Fine," Booth nodded, "But only if you get us a swanky place like this- and make sure it's somewhere near a beach too."

"So that you can wow me with your athletic prowess?" she teased.

"Well," he dragged the word out as they cleaned up from breakfast and headed back to their bags, "That and ogling you in a bikini."

"I see."

"You can save your skimpiest one for the room," he waggled his eyebrows as they picked up their bags and headed out, "Wouldn't want anybody else ogling my wife."

"I'll keep that in mind," she answered drily.

As they rode the elevator down to the front desk, they shared a smile and their free hands joined, fingers interlocking- ready and waiting for whatever came their way next.


	2. What's in a name?

Halfway to the car, Booth got a call on his phone. Temperance continued on her way, opening the back hatch so that they could stow all of their bags. When she was done putting her own in, she turned back and took Booth's from him. Booth smiled and she smiled back before turning around and placing his bags in the back of the SUV alongside hers.

He was still on the phone when she was done so she slipped into the passenger's seat to wait for him. She reveled in the warmth, despite the fact that it was comfortable outside. One of her favorite things to do as a child was go into her parent's car after it had been sitting in the sun all day and bask in the warmth. On several occasions, she could remember her father sternly telling her that a warm car might be comfortable, but it could be fatal if she were to climb in one at the peak of summer and close herself in; especially if she fell asleep as she had been wont to do.

Her mind drifted from the memory to the man standing just outside the car. He caught sight of her and waved- she waved in return and he held up a single finger, indicating that he would be with her in just a minute.

If she were to be honest with herself, she would have to admit that it was not natural for her to think of him as her husband. In her mind, he was still Booth- her partner- the man who had stood by her for the last four years, and who somewhere along the way, had managed to weave himself into the fabric of her everyday life. Over the past week, she had tried to define what it was about their relationship that had changed when they started dating; now, she thought about the difference that marriage had made.

Surely the biggest difference once they had started dating was their physical relationship. Always before they had seemed to be on the verge of touching, or kissing, or whatever else, but they never did. Booth had drawn the line between them and she respected his wishes too much to go against them. All of that dissipated with that first kiss in the middle of her living room, and then even more so when they had slept together for the first time. Now, they touched at almost every given opportunity and he was forever attempting to "steal" kisses when he knew it was inappropriate.

She thought about the concepts of "guilt-free lust" and "guilt-free sex" that he had spoken that morning in bed. While she herself had never felt guilty for lusting after Booth, or having sex with him outside of a marriage relationship, she did have to admit that there was something different in their lovemaking that had changed over the past twenty-four hours. Perhaps part of it was that Booth felt more freedom now, however, she also suspected that the marriage itself had something to do with it. While her mind still acknowledged that modern marriages tended not to last a great deal of time, she also knew that the man she married was committed to keeping their vows and that it was something he had greatly desired in his life.

She had known for some time that a man of Booth's nature could never be fully satisfied in life without a wife and a family to share his life with. It pleased her to no small end that he was happy to adopt, rather than bring more children into the world, and she knew he was more than satisfied having Parker as a biological child.

For herself, she felt content- not because she was a married woman now, she had never needed that- but because of the man to whom she was now married. He satisfied in every way- emotionally, physically, and intellectually- and she was certain that she satisfied him as well. They had an excellent partnership and friendship already and she was confident that they would have an excellent marriage as well.

"Thinking deep thoughts, Temperance?" he asked as he entered the SUV.

"Just contemplating how things will change now that we are married," she said honestly, turning to meet his eyes, "In some ways I still think of you as my partner and I still refer to you mostly by your surname- which is ridiculous because in the law's eyes we are both Booths now, not to mention you apparently have a large family of Booth men and women."

"Well, first off," Booth said, reaching across the armrest to take hold of her hands, "What we're about to get into will make any other life changes pale in comparison. We're getting marriage, children, and a totally new life right off the bat, so I doubt we'll really figure out how this marriage will work until after the case is closed and we go back to life in DC. Also, you shouldn't feel bad about thinking of me that way because we technically _are_ still partners. Our partnership at work isn't being dissolved and now that we're married it just means that instead of going our separate ways at night- or deciding who sleeps over at whose house- we go home together.

"It also means that our take-out bill should be way less each month since now we can just go home together instead of inventing reasons to stay together longer," he grinned, squeezing her hands one last time as he turned to face forward, started the engine, and backed out of the parking space.

"Is that why you would always invite me to the diner or some other eating establishment?" she asked.

He grinned sheepishly, "Well, that and I wasn't sure you were going to feed yourself, yeah. Face it, though, Bones, there were some nights you didn't feel like going home alone early either."

"That's true," she admitted, "Plus, I do enjoy spending time with you."

"Same here," he flashed her a charm smile, "By the way, that was Cullen on the phone. We're meeting him and the kids at a restaurant by the new place. I guess he's got our new cars ready, so we'll be leaving the SUV with him and taking the cars to the house with us when we go."

"Will you miss it?" she knew how attached he was to his company car.

"Yeah," he nodded, "But there's nothing much I can do about it. I'm just hoping they don't saddle me with a mini-van," he made a face.

"That will most likely be the vehicle selected for me," she replied with disgust, "I am not looking forward to driving it."

"I'll drive whenever we have family stuff, okay?" he offered kindly.

"That's perfectly fine with me," she told him, only to find him chucking to himself, "And, what, might I ask, do you find so funny?"

"Never thought I'd see the day you'd agree to let me drive, dear," he grinned widely.

"I have no problems letting you drive a mini-van instead of me," she said smugly, "However, if you get a better car I get to drive it when you do not need it."

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see," he teased.

They drove in companionable silence for several minutes.

"Booth," she faced him again, "What _should_ I call you? I mean, what name would you prefer?"

"Huh?" he looked at her as if she had grown and third nostril.

"I, personally, do not mind whether you call me Bones or Temperance," she explained, "My name for you, however, has always been Booth and you once said that that was fine because we are not a married couple. Now we _are_ a married couple, and I was wondering if you would rather have me call you Seeley."

"Didn't we have this talk already," he seemed confused, "Back when we started dating?"

"It was similar," she nodded, "But now we are married and I do not wish to come off as cold or unfeeling toward you because it is not my first thought to call you by your given name. On the other hand, I have heard you repeatedly ask Cam _not_ to call you Seeley, so I don't wish to displease you that way either."

"She does it just to irk me," he smirked, "Same reason I call her Camille- it's a thing we started before we ever even dated."

"Just like you called me Bones against my wishes for so long," she teased, "And the reason you call your sister Lizard Breath."

"Pretty much," he shrugged, grinning, "Though in your case I think it's safe to say it grew on you."

"Yes."

"As for what you can call me," he exhaled deeply and paused for a minute, "I honestly don't know. I've gotten used to hearing you call me Booth, but the times this week when you've called me Seeley," he looked over at her as he pulled into the restaurant parking lot and turned off the engine, "I really liked that. It-it meant a lot more to me than I ever thought it would, especially- you know- when we are being-" he stopped, and turned a deep shade of red.

"Intimate," she finished softly for him.

"Yeah," he nodded vigorously, seemingly relieved that he was not the one to voice the thought, "I think it's because when you say it, you're so sincere," he explained, stroking her cheek with his thumb, "You don't try and shorten it, but you don't make it sound like a wuss, girl name either."

She smiled softly, "There is nothing feminine about either you, or your name, Seeley."

"Yeah, well, the guys in high school didn't see it that way."

"I am neither a guy nor in high school," she smiled again, "So you are safe with me."

"That," he said, tapping her nose, "I never doubted."

"Thank you," the words were spoken just above a whisper.

Unconsciously, they both leaned forward and closed the gap between them, meeting in the middle for a short, but emotionally-laden kiss. When they were done, they got out of the SUV and began heading for the restaurant arm-in-arm.

Halfway there, four small people came tumbling out of the restaurant, running toward them. As they stepped onto the sidewalk, Parker, Maddie, and Joey, encircled them, followed closely by Sadie and Director Cullen. Temperance knelt down and accepted the children's embraces, then scooped up Sadie and placed her firmly on her hip.

The little girl's joy was evident, as her pudgy arms hugged Temperance's neck, beaming widely.

"Mama," the baby said gleefully.

"Yes, Little One," she spoke softly into Sadie's ear, "For as long as you need me, I'll be your Mama."

Maddie placed her hand in Temperance's free one, while Booth picked up Joey and put his arm around Parker and they all entered the restaurant for their first meal as a family.


	3. Family Matters

As Booth's eyes adjusted from the bright sun to the restaurant's dim interior, he noticed that they had more company waiting for them. Max, Russ, Angela, and Hodgins were sitting at a long table that had been set up for all of them. The next hour was spent talking about anything and everything that didn't have to do with the coming case.

Finally, Cullen announced that it was time to leave. Booth took Sadie from Bones, his heart warming as he watched his wife embrace her father and brother. Tears were pooling in all three of their eyes, but none spilled over. Angela, on the other hand, was all waterworks, and Bones promised that they would keep in touch though the cable hookup that Cullen had promised. Hodgins and Bones went to shake hands at first, but then the bug man pulled her into a tight hug and gave her a look reminiscent of those that Booth had watched them exchange shortly after their ordeal with the Grave Digger.

The two squints came for him next, and though he allowed Angela a tight squeeze, he gave Hodgins a look that let the other man know he still carried a gun and would use it if the bug man hugged him. Russ, for his part, simply nodded to Booth and Booth nodded back, his eyes promising to protect Russ' little sister.

Just as Booth was about to head out the door, Max laid a hand on his shoulder and pulled him aside from the crowd.

"Son," Max started, "I know I don't have to tell you to keep her safe, because I've watched you do that for a couple of years now. I wanted you to know, though, that I couldn't have handpicked a better husband for her."

"Thank you, Sir," Booth cleared his throat, accepting the man's outstretched hand and meeting Max's firm grip with one of his own.

"She's a lot like me, Booth," Max said softly, "The rationalizing and the stubbornness. Don't push her too hard or she'll clam up on you- but don't let her push you away, either," Booth nodded and Max continued, "One last thing. Tempe's never done well with change. One year we decided to redo her room what she was at summer camp. I spent two weeks making it look like she lived in an open meadow and her mother made all sorts of flower pillows and found a bedspread with daisies all over it. Do you know what Tempe did?"

"Curled up in the fetal position?" Booth half-teased, knowing how little she liked surprises.

"All but," Max nodded, "Slept on the couch for a week after she got home. She did warm up to eventually, but it took a good month," Max met Booth's eyes and spoke carefully, "Do you see what I'm saying, Son? I know that you've helped bring her a lot farther than I ever did in this area, but don't be at all surprised one day to come home and find that she's not coping well. Marriage is a _huge_ step for her, not to mention those four kids and your new identities on top of it.

"She can do it; you and I both know that she can. But it's going to take a lot of patience and a lot of reassurance on your part. And you just have her call me at the lab if she's not understanding you."

Booth nodded, a million questions formulating in his mind but none that he could verbalize. It made him wonder what type of woman Bones would have grown into had her parents been there for her all along. Max smiled and slapped Booth on the shoulder and the two men followed the rest of the group to the parking lot.

When Booth got outside, he realized that Bones had taken charge and was herding the kids into the Highlander that Cullen had procured for the new family. Booth was happy because it was an SUV, not a mini-van; his knew that his wife would be pleased because it was a hybrid vehicle. She was forever carping on him about what a gas-guzzler his FBI ride was, saying that the least they could do for the environment was drive a more gas-efficient vehicle.

Booth's grin widened, though, when he saw the car parked next to it.

"Check it out, Bones!" he said as he felt her come up beside him, "Do you know what this is?"

"An extremely fast luxury sports car that you are going to let me drive on occasion?" she said, her hand snaking behind his back until it rested on his hip.

"Sure, Bones," he said excitedly, not entirely sure what he had just agreed to, "But this is an Aston Martin- the James Bond car! A V-12 with a six speed transmission, this puppy can do close to two hundred and costs close to three hundred."

"And the FBI knows you will treat it with the best care possible," Cullen added, stepping up beside the couple, "This is on loan to us Agent Booth, specifically for this assignment. We needed a car that spoke of wealth and status befitting your new lifestyle."

"Oh don't worry, Sir," Booth said reverently, "I'll treat her right."

"I know you will," Cullen nodded, cracking half a smile and dropping the keys into Booth's open palm, "Enjoy her while she's yours and keep in mind that the Bureau will want her back looking exactly the same way she does today.

"Now," Cullen cleared his throat, all business, "If your wife will wipe the drool from your face, we can be on our way to your new house. I'll drive the children in the Highlander and you two enjoy one last quiet car ride as you follow us."

Booth managed to acknowledge his boss before escorting Bones over to the passenger's seat and opening the door for her. He moved around quickly to the driver's seat and started the engine with a feral grin.

"I take it," Bones asked, buckling herself in as they left the parking lot, "That you are pleased?"

Booth bobbed his head up and down, "Oh, yeah! I knew we were supposed to be pretty loaded, but this," he stroked the steering wheel lovingly, "This is a rich man's car."

They drove in comfortable silence and Booth could tell that Bones was enjoying the car almost as much as he was. The windows were down and the warm late-summer wind blew through, invigorating them both. They followed Cullen out of Bowie and down toward the northern tip of Calvert County; close enough to the crime scene for Booth to commute, but far enough away to keep the kids out of harm's way should problems start to arise.

As soon as Cullen turned into the development, Booth started to wonder exactly how big the house was. Everything that they drove past looked like a mansion to him, though Bones called them 'estates' and said they were much smaller compared to Hodgin's place. At the end of a cul-de-sac, Cullen pulled into the driveway of one of the more modest homes; though it was still far bigger than Booth had imagined yesterday during their meetings.

"Guess the kids'll each have their own rooms," he commented.

"I should think so," Bones agreed, "Though I doubt that Maddie, Joey, and Sadie will want to be separated."

"Hopefully, by the end of this they'll feel safe enough," Booth smiled, then they each turned and stepped out of the car.

Booth mentally thanked Cullen for the rest of the day for letting he and Bones have their quiet drive together on the ride down as things were loud and chaotic as soon as the kids got out of the car.

They spent the next hour taking a grand tour of the house and the grounds that it sat on. Five bedrooms were on the top floor and a guest room was on the ground floor. The Booths' master bedroom was nearly the size of the honeymoon suite that they had stayed in the night before, and boasted the largest bathtub that Booth had ever seen, along with a stand-alone shower stall, not to mention a walk-in closet that was the size of Parker's bedroom back at Booth's townhouse.

Each of the other four bedrooms on the top floor had been decorated to suit each child and was furnished not only with furniture, but also with plenty of toys. Parker had been thrilled to find all of his action figures from Booth's house in one of the toy bins along with his small bookcase full of books as well. Maddie seemed pleased with the soft yellows and pinks that the walls of her room had been painted in, and she fell in love immediately with the dollhouse in the corner of the room. Joey, meanwhile, immediately began pulling out all of the toy trains in his room, begging Parker to help him set up a track. Sadie's room was a nursery and she squealed in delight at all of the stuffed animals that were waiting for her.

After the novelty of the new toys had worn off, they all trekked outside for a look at the back yard. An in-ground pool with a gated, protective fence lay off to one side, and Cullen gave Booth the code to open the gate, and showed him to operate the retractable dome that would convert it into an indoor pool once the weather grew cool. Bikes and trikes of all sizes were waiting for the kids along with a swing set that could've been on any school playground. Booth favorite feature, though, was the basket ball hoop and half-court.

"Come 'ere, Bones," Booth waved after Cullen had said his goodbyes and headed back to DC with the FBI team that had helped prepare the house, leaving them in the backyard, "I'll teach you how to shoot."

With one last look over her shoulder to make sure that the kids were okay, she came and stood beside him on the basketball court.

"Now," he instructed, moving her in front of him and handing her the ball, "You put your hands like this," he placed his overtop of hers, "Go up like this," he lined their bodies up with the hoop, lifting their arms in tandem, "And go for it."

They released the ball together and it clanged off of the rim, but didn't quite go in.

"Here, Bones," he said, retrieving the ball for her, "You try."

She bounced the ball a couple of times, imitated the motions he had shown her, and let it fly toward the hoop.

"Nothin' but net!" Booth grinned proudly at her, "Nice shot, Bones!"

She looked proud of herself and even lifted her hand up for a high-five. He started showing her some of his other moves, and tried fruitlessly to teach her how to dribble.

"This makes no sense at all Booth," she complained after not being able to walk and bounce the ball at the same time, "It's much easier simply to carry the ball to the goal."

"Ah, but that's against the rules," he said, "You've gotta dribble or else you get punished for traveling."

"Traveling where?"

"Traveling with the ball," he tried to explain, "In football you can take the ball and run with it as much as you like, but in basketball you have to dribble."

"Then perhaps you should teach me how to play that instead as it seems I have no skills when it comes to dribbling."

Booth laughed and put his arm around her, "One sport per night, Temperance," he teased, "Besides, I think the kids have worn themselves out."

He pointed over to the swing set, where all four kids were sprawled out on the grass.

"Dinner time!" he called and immediately they all came running.

"What are we having?" Bones looked up at him.

"Dunno," Booth shrugged, "How about I go figure that out and you can get these guys cleaned up and ready?"

One hour and two frozen pizzas later, everyone was full and ready for bed. Booth led them all through the same bedtime routine that he had with Parker, letting Maddie and Parker take turns reading the bedtime story together. Booth and Bones went around to each room, tucking the kids in, starting with Sadie and ending with Parker. They also assured Joey that if he became scared in the night, he could go and sleep with Maddie in her room. This seemed to assure the two older Lane kids and everyone went down without a fight.

Once the kids were in bed, Booth and Bones went downstairs and worked side by side cleaning up the mess that had been made at dinner. When they were done, Booth was tempted to go down in the basement and check out the home theater system that Cullen had shown him, but he saw Bones flagging and knew he needed a good night's sleep too.

It had been a long day and he had to be up and down at Officer Watson's office in Lusby by nine the next morning to start working on the case. The plan was for him to work nine to five every weekday and have the weekends off so that it would seem to the neighbors that he had a normal job. Of course once the kids were in bed, he and Bones planned to work on the case together and he would report whatever findings they came up with to Cullen at the FBI and Cam at the Jeffersonian. Bones would be kept in the loop with her computer feed of any and all happenings back at the lab.

Wearily, the pair trudged up the staircase and into their room. They peeled off their clothes, got into their pajamas, and fell into bed. The last thing Booth was aware of before he fell asleep was Bones scooting over from her side of the bed toward him. He wrapped his arms around her, breathed in the fruity scent of her shampoo, and fell asleep.


	4. Finding the New Norm

Temperance opened her eyes the next morning and groaned softly. The clock on her nightstand read five-thirty and she could tell that she would not be getting back to sleep. The bed felt empty beside her and she was pleasantly surprised to roll over and find Boo-no, Seeley, she corrected herself- still sound asleep. The bed was a king-sized one and at some point in the night they must have separated and moved to their own sides. The gap between them felt like chasm to her, so she closed it.

A feral grin covered her face as she decided that if she was going to be up early, he needed to be as well. Softly, she slid the covers off of him, revealing his sculpted abs and bare chest, and began planting feather-light kisses on him, beginning at his navel. By the time she reached his pectoral muscles he was awake and well aware of what she was doing to him, his breath coming in short gasps as she made her way up his neck, sliding her lower body over to press against his.

"Good morning, Seeley," she whispered, nibbling on his earlobe.

"Hmm," he growled, voice still thick from sleep, "Good morning to you, Temperance. To what do I owe this honor?"

"I couldn't sleep," she shrugged, "Not to mention that, logically speaking, this is _our_ best time of day."

"Five-thirty?" he raised an eyebrow as he relieved her of her pajama top.

"You have to leave for work at nine, I have a meeting with the school administrator at eight-thirty, and the children are still in bed," she punctuated each point with a kiss, leaving a trail of red marks across his upper torso.

"Well," he grinned, tracing her face with his forefinger and causing a shiver of pleasure to cascade down her spine, "When you put it like that, Bones-"

"Booth," she cut him off, "Shut up and make love to me."

An hour later, they were showered and dressed and down in the kitchen getting breakfast ready for the still-sleeping children. She wondered if she had the same healthy glow about her that Seeley did, and decided that she must because he kept grinning like a fool at her for no particular reason.

"You know, Bones," he said, cracking an egg in the bowl as she measured out the pancake batter, "Comfy as that bed is, I do have one complaint."

She arched a silent eyebrow at him questioningly.

"It's too big," he explained, beating all of the ingredients together with a wire whisk.

"I agree," she nodded, reaching up to peck him on the cheek, "When I first woke I didn't think you were still in bed with me."

"Now, _that_," he smiled, turning away from the batter and pulling her to him, "Is a crime in my book, Mrs. Booth."

"Indeed?" she teased, wrapping her arms around his waist, "And how do you propose we rectify the matter?"

"Experimentation, my dear Bones," he whispered huskily into her ear.

She laughed, "You know, for a man who has spent the last four years avoiding the topic of sex, Seeley, you are being quite candid on the subject now."

"Well, I was being a gentleman, Temperance," he stroked her damp hair.

"And now you are not?" he was starting to confuse her.

"No," he corrected her, "I still am."

"So what has changed?"

He drew her left hand from around his waist and held it between them, "This," he kissed her engagement ring, "And this," he kissed the wedding band, "Not to mention that after we're done talking about sex, I can jump you."

She gave him a playful shove and freed her hand from his, "So you're saying that you never discussed sex with me because it aroused you?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that," he spoke in his most military-like voice.

"Uh-huh," she nodded knowingly, "Which would also explain why you also always wore thick pants and that 'Cocky' belt buckle."

He squirmed, a blush creeping up his neck, "You know, Bones," she could barely contain herself when his voice cracked, "We should get back to those pancakes and, you know, get the kids up for school."

"Seeley," she practically purred in his ear, quite enjoying herself, "Your realize that an erec-"

He cut her off with a kiss, then placed a finger over her lips when he was done, "No discussing bodily functions- natural or otherwise- over breakfast," he ordered.

She nodded in agreement, sharing one final kiss before they pulled away, "I'll go wake the children while you make the pancakes."

"Deal," he smiled.

"Oh and Seeley," she said, just before she left the kitchen, "I'm a scientist," he looked at her quizzically, as if he were wondering why she would tell him something that he already knew, "I excel at experimentation."

She turned quickly and left, his laughter following her all the way up the staircase.

The rest of the morning was a flurry of activity as everyone rushed to get ready for the day. Maddie and Parker were not pleased that they had to dress up for their new school, and Joey also complained loudly when she chose a more formal outfit for him. Once the older ones were dressed and on their way down to Booth, she headed for the nursery. There she found Sadie wide awake and reeking of urine. Apparently, the one year had removed her diaper at some point during the night and was poking at it with her chubby fingers.

Picking her up under the armpits and holding her as far from her own body as she could, Temperance decided that perhaps tomorrow she would wait until _after_ Sadie was up and dress to dress herself for the day. She drew a bath for Sadie in the deep sink in the children's bathroom, trying hard not to flinch every time the one year old splashed water on her.

Twenty minutes, one clean baby, and one damp forensic anthropologist later, they joined the others downstairs. Parker and Maddie had finished breakfast and were chasing each other around the enormous formal dining area. Booth was telling them to settle down, when Joey decided that he was done as well and ran to join them. Realizing that talking was getting him nowhere, Booth simply stood in their path and stopped each one as they reached him.

"I'll trade," Temperance offered him Sadie, noting with a tinge of jealousy that he was dressed in jeans and his favorite white polo shirt while she was dressed up for her meeting.

"Done," he said, taking Sadie to him and cuddling her to his chest.

"Da!" she squealed, throwing her pudgy arms around his neck, "Food!"

"Yup," he grinned, fastening her into the high chair, "I'll get you some food Katie-baby."

His use of Sadie's new name made Temperance's train of thought halt abruptly, reminding her that they would have to start using the Keller names today.

"Christopher, Grace, and Andy," she called to the older children who had moved into the spacious living room and begun a game of hide and seek.

Three heads popped up from behind various pieces of furniture and she smiled, more confident now that they would respond to their new names while they were at the school.

"Very good," she praised them, "Now come out, we need to gather our things and leave soon."

Joey and Parker groaned, but obeyed, while Maddie came over and gave her a hug.

"You know what, Dr. Bones?"

"What, Maddie?"

"I don't mind calling you Mama now that my mommy's gone forever," the little girl said sincerely.

"Yeah, Dr. Bones," Joey nodded vigorously, "You're a good mommy and Boof is a really good Daddy."

"Just wait 'til they make you eat all of your vegetables," Parker teased, ruffling Joey's hair.

"It's better than going to bed with an empty belly," Maddie countered, "And besides, veggies help us grow big and strong."

"I'm gonna be big and strong like you, Daddy," Joey yelled to Seeley from the living room.

"Right now, why don't you go get your shoes on?" Temperance suggested, "And Maddie and Parker, you get your backpacks as well."

Maddie and Joey took off at full speed up the stairs, but Parker hung back and turned to face the adults, who were both cleaning up the mess that Sadie had made.

"Dad," he said slowly, "Why didn't they always get food?"

Booth knelt down so that he was eye to eye with his son, "Their grandparents didn't take very good care of them, Parker. That's one of the reasons Bones and I got them out of there."

Parker considered that for a long moment, "I'm glad they're safe now, Dad, and I'm glad they live with us."

"Me too, Bub," Seeley grinned, pulling Parker in for a hug that the boy eagerly returned.

"Hey, Dr. Bones," he asked, "Since you and Daddy are married now does that mean you're my mom for real, too?"

"Well," she started carefully, looking to her husband for advice, "I suppose technically I'm your step-mother, though Rebecca will always be your biological mother and I would never want to replace her."

"Yeah," Parker nodded, "I know that, I was just wondering if I could call you Mom too- you know, after the case is over and stuff?"

She shot a panicked look at her husband, who mercifully stepped in, "As long as it's okay with your mom, okay, kiddo? We wouldn't want to hurt her feelings."

"I asked her already and she said okay 'cause Dr. Bones is part of our family now," Parker beamed, "And she said I don't have to call Drew, 'Daddy' when they get married 'cause I told her having two daddies _and_ two mommies would be really confusing."

With that, Parker took off for the stairs in search of his shoes and backpack.

"Did you know Rebecca was getting married?" Temperance asked once Parker was out of earshot.

"News to me," he replied, "Are you alright with him calling you, 'Mom?'"

"Who, Drew?" she teased, taking Sadie from him and taking her over to the coat closet to put on both of their shoes, "Honestly, as long as you and Rebecca are comfortable, I am as well."

"I love you," he dropped a kiss on her cheek, then gave one to Sadie too, "You take very good care of my son and that means the world to me."

"I love both of you Booth boys," she smiled, "I would never have suggested marriage to you if I didn't."

Sadie wriggled out of Temperance's arms and began running after her siblings as they pounded back down the stairs, while Booth pulled his wife close and captured her mouth with his.

"Ew!" Joey exclaimed as the four children converged on the living room.

"Oh," Temperance heard Parker say, "They do that all of the time- sometimes worse. You get used to it eventually."

Laughing, the couple separated and Booth helped her load them all into the Highlander as they set off for the school.

Two hours later she returned, weary from the experience. Apparently whoever had enrolled Parker and Maddie in second grade, had enrolled Joey into Pre-K as well. The little boy was excited to be in school with his big sister and had eagerly followed the young woman who was to be his teacher into the classroom. Parker and Maddie, however, were disappointed to learn that their first day of school would consist of placement testing to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses.

She glanced her watch and then at the sleepy girl in her arms. She had just under two hours before she had to return to pick Joey up from Pre-K and she decided that Sadie could use a short nap. Making sure that Sadie's diaper was securely fastened- and that she had snapped the bottom of the little girl's shirt together as added protection- she placed Sadie in the crib with a kiss and left her to fall asleep.

As quietly as she could, she padded downstairs to the office that had been set up for her and Booth in the guest bedroom and booted up the computer.

"Sweetie!" Angela's cheery face greeted her as she brought the video connection online, "How's life in the suburbs?"

"I would hardly call this the suburbs," she started, then caught Angela's meaning, "Though it appears we are all settling in nicely."

"Good," Angela smiled, "How's that hunk of a husband of yours?"

Temperance smiled, recalling their morning, "He's doing very well."

"Oooh," Angela squealed, "You have that cute newlywed glow about you, girl. It looks good on you too!"

"I am enjoying this much more than I ever thought possible," she admitted to her friend, "Though my new responsibilities as a mother are extremely tiring."

Angela glanced around to someone out of range of the camera, "Hey, Sweetie, I'd love to sit here and girl talk with you, but Jack needs to tell you something."

"Alright."

Angela shifted over as Hodgins moved in front of the camera with her, "Dr. B, glad you checked in. I was examining the insurance letter that the Lane grandparents were sent. I thought it looked kind of funny so I had Ange scan it into the computer to analyze it further."

"Not only was the letter expertly patched together," the artist cut in eagerly, "But the company went out of business three years ago."

"I ran a sample of it for particulates," Hodgins jumped in again, "Turns out that traces of the same mix of coke that the Maryland cops found in with Candie Lane's stuff, is on the letter too."

"So it could be from her killer's?" Temperance hypothesized.

Jack shrugged, "Sounds logical to me, but that's what your FBI man is for."

"E-mail me all of the results," she directed him, "Including the comparison data between the cocaine on the letter and that found in the storage unit."

"Will do," Jack nodded.

"Were there any prints found on the envelope or the letter?" she asked next.

"Only the Lanes'."

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"Nope," Hodgins shook his head, "That brings you up to speed."

"Alright," she nodded, "I have to go pick Joey up from school shortly, and there is not much of a time gap between when I pick him up and when I pick the older two up, so I will plan on calling you again around four o'clock."

"Sounds good," Hodgins nodded, "Angie's gathering everything up and we'll send it to you in the meantime."

They exchanged goodbyes and she shut the video feed off and closed the laptop. She leaned back in the office chair, wondering what this new evidence meant. Unable to make any intuitive leaps, she shook her head and decided to leave that part to Booth. Her next action was to contact him, but his phone went straight to voicemail, so she had to settle for leaving a message for him instead.

A look at her watch told her it was time to wake Sadie and return to the school for Joey. Life in the "suburbs" as Angela had called it, might have come with all of the fine accoutrements that life had to offer, but at this rate she wondered if she would ever have time to enjoy them.


	5. Home Matters

Booth waved as the Highlander left the driveway and headed back for the house. He still had fifteen minutes before he had to leave so he figured he'd be productive. He cleaned up the remnants from breakfast and loaded the dishwasher. When he was satisfied that the kitchen and dining room were clean, he went down to the media room in the basement.

It lived up to Cullen's description as a home movie theater and it took every ounce of willpower Booth possessed to pull himself away. A big screen TV sat in the front of the room with surround-sound speakers, a DVD player, a Blu-Ray player, and his Wii system from back home. Two couches were at the back of the room- one large and one small- and behind them was a huge library of movies and video games. Tonight, he promised himself, they could have a family movie night. He laughed when he saw _Shrek_ was among the DVDs that had been furnished for them and decided that would be the movie of choice.

His disappointment over not getting to play in the media room for very long vanished when he remembered what was waiting for him in the garage. The Aston was great and he enjoyed every second of the forty-five minute drive to Lusby.

The WPP had rented office space for David Keller- Booth's new alter ego- and his independent contracting business that supposedly had contracts with the nearby Patuxent Navy Base. They had then outfitted the space with interrogation and observation rooms. Watson and his hand-selected crew would handle interrogations while Booth observed and gave input- much like Sweets or Angela had done for him in the past back in DC. It was not as much control as he would like, but it at least allowed him to stay involved with the case.

Watson was waiting for him when he arrived and they took off for the storage unit where Candie Lane's things had been sitting since her disappearance. From there, they went to Watson's processing people, who were working their way through Candie's belongings before sending them on to the FBI processors. Booth had insisted on this order in the chain of evidence so that he could have a look at the stuff in person.

Booth got his wife's message around lunch time and tried to call her back, but didn't get through. He called the lab next and got a laundry list of things that Hodgins wanted to test; including more soil samples from the crime scene. After a quick lunch, Watson took Booth back to the crime scene, where they spent nearly an hour collecting all of the samples that Hodgins had requested. The hike to and from the beach was grueling, and Booth decided that if the bug man wanted any more samples he would have to come and get them himself.

Before Booth knew it, it was five and time for him to head home. He locked up his new office, and decided to make a quick detour before heading home.

"I remember you," the woman at the counter said when he asked for the earrings and necklace to match Bones' engagement ring, "Did your wife like the ring?"

"She loved it," he told her honestly, not bothering to correct her assumption that they had been married the first time down, "I'm getting these to match."

"That will be lovely," the woman gushed, "Now you come back again if you need anything else, young man."

"Will do," Booth gave the woman a charm smile, paying her with cash of his own that he had withdrawn before he left DC.

Whistling contentedly to himself he got himself back on the main highway and headed home. He decided to make use of his new car and in thirty minutes he was pulling in the driveway and parking the car in the garage.

The smell of dinner cooking greeted him as he walked through the door along with the sound of boisterous laughter coming from upstairs.

"Hey, Beautiful," he welcomed Bones as he dropped his briefcase on the large kitchen island, "How was your day?"

"Busy," she replied hurriedly, "We had meetings this morning, then I got back home, gave Sadie a nap, checked in with the Jeffersonian, went back to the school to pick Joey up-"

"Joey's in school too?" Booth asked downing a cold glass of water.

"Apparently he was registered for Pre-Kindergarten," she nodded, moving around him as she continued making dinner, "Then we came back and ate lunch, after which Sadie had yet another nap while Joey and I went over his schoolwork. I had to wake Sadie to go pick the older two children up from their day of placement testing. They both did well enough to be placed in the same second grade classroom, however the administrator wishes to meet with both of us tomorrow to go over the results."

"Shouldn't be a problem," he shrugged, "I'll give Watson a call after dinner and let him know I'll be a little late tomorrow morning. You want any help?"

"If you would set the table and make sure the children wash up that would be most helpful. The food should be ready within the next fifteen minutes, though hopefully I did not forget anything in my haste," the look in her eyes was weary as she met his gaze, "I wasn't certain when you would be home."

"From now on I'll call you when I leave so you know about when I'll get back. And Temperance," he took the hot pads off of her hands and set them down on the counter, drawing her close so he could whisper in her ear, "I love you."

He knew that she was tired, and he thought that she would appreciate the hug, but what he didn't expect was for her to pull back her head and begin passionately kissing him on the spot.

"Hey," he pulled back after a minute, not wanting her to burn the food and ruin her hard work, "I was thinking we could do a movie night with the kids and relax after dinner. Then as soon as they're in bed I'm all yours, okay?"

She nodded, flashed him a smile that told him he'd picked the right words, and went back to the food as if nothing had happened. He shook his head in silent laughter as he went upstairs after the kids.

He found Parker and Joey playing with the train set in Joey's room, while Maddie and Sadie were in Maddie's room playing with the dollhouse. They all piled on him at once, telling him all about their day and the school, and arguing over who he was going to play with first. He listened to them and responded as much as possible, then told them that he wouldn't be playing with any of them because it was almost dinner time.

After supervising cleanup in both rooms, he had them wash their hands and come down to help him set the table. He gave each of the older three a specific job, then set Sadie in her high chair so that he could help wherever he was needed. Joey beamed with pride as he set each plate at its place carefully and without dropping a single one. Parker was in charge of silverware, while Maddie set up the glasses and took drink orders. Booth helped Maddie pour the drinks.

Their tasks completed, Booth assigned seats and helped Bones bring the food into the dining room. The hungry crowd dug in eagerly to the chicken fingers and mashed potatoes before them.

"I decided this was a meal they would all enjoy," Bones explained between bites.

"Looks like it's a hit," Booth grinned at her, "And thanks, you did a great job."

A chorus of "Thank you" went around the table after that and Booth didn't think he had ever seen Bones more proud of herself. When everyone was done, he ordered Bones to go play in the living room with Sadie while he and the older three cleaned up after dinner.

"Do we have to?" Parker asked.

"Yup," Booth nodded his head firmly, "Whoever makes the meal shouldn't have to clean up after it too," he looked each one of them in the eye, "We're a family now, guys, so that means we all pitch in to get things done around here."

"It was a long day doing all of those tests," Maddie said with a sigh as she helped load the dishwasher.

"I bet," Booth said sympathetically, "But I had a busy day at work and Dr. Bones had a busy day driving you kids to and from school and getting the meals made, so we're all tired."

Joey tugged on Booth's pants leg, "She's not Dr. Bones now, she's Mommy," the boy corrected him, "And you're Daddy, 'cause we're a family now, right?"

"You're right, little big man," Booth smiled down at Joey, "Now, is everything done?"

"Everything but the big pans that can't go in the dishwasher," Parker told him.

"Good job, guys, let's go see how Mommy and Sadie are doing."

Maddie and Joey took off at a run, while Parker hung back.

"You okay, Son?" Booth laid an arm around Parker's shoulders.

"It's kinda weird," Parker said softly.

"What is?" Booth steered them into the dining room and sat Parker up on his lap.

Parker shrugged, "The new school, the new house, everything I guess."

"Hey," Booth said, making sure that Parker was looking at him, "Just 'cause other kids call me Dad doesn't mean I love you less, okay? Nobody could replace you in here," he pointed to his chest, "Do you miss you mom too, kiddo?"

"Not much," Parker shook his head, "I saw her two days ago, so it hasn't been that long. Besides," he grinned, "I like living here with you and Dr. Bones."

"You know what the best part of this crazy new life is for me?" Booth asked.

"What?"

"Everyday that we're here, I get to be here with you, and we can play or talk or whatever and we don't have to worry about getting you back to your mom."

"I like that too, Daddy," Parker gave him a big hug, "And I like not having to pack a bag to come see you either," he smiled, "I miss you sometimes."

"Me too," they shared a sad smile that tugged at Booth's heart, "Hey! Tell you what: we're gonna watch _Shrek_ tonight. One of the couches down there is big enough for three people so why don't you be the first to share one with me and Bones?"

Parker nodded eagerly.

"Good deal," Booth grinned, setting Parker back down on the floor, "Now let's go collect the gang!"

Parker ran off to tell Maddie and Joey, blowing past Bones, who was coming his way with a tired Sadie in her arms.

"You," she said, taking the seat next to Booth, "Are an amazing father."

"That," Booth sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "Was like navigating a mine field. I don't want to demean the other kids- or Rebecca for that matter- in his eyes, but he needed to know I'm here for him too. And I have this sinking feeling that it's going to be tough going from being a weekend dad to an everyday one."

"You'll figure it out," Bones encouraged, "Parker is an extremely bright boy and it's clear he loves you very much as wants to please you. Perhaps if he were entering adolescence it would be more difficult, but his resistance levels are not high and he responds to you very well."

"Looks like you're taking to motherhood pretty well yourself," he smiled, nodding to the little girl who sat curled up in her lap, sucking her thumb.

Bone smiled, transferring Sadie from her lap to her shoulder with a kiss, "We seem to have bonded very nicely, and her temperament is very well-suited to my own. Maddie and I seem to get along as well, though I am more unsure with her as she is older."

"Just be yourself," Booth told her, "She loves you as much as Sadie does, and she probably feels pretty lost losing her mom and moving around so much. You can identify with her so just treat her like you wish all of your foster parents would have treated you."

"That seems like sound advice," she smiled, "Though I think right now the appropriate course of action would be to put Sadie in bed for the night."

"Sounds good to me," Booth smiled back, taking the little girl from her, "Come on, Katie-girl, let's find you some PJs that will make your diaper Katie-proof!"

He and Bones stood and moved to the living room where the kids were playing.

"Time for PJs," Booth announced, "And the quicker you get in 'em , the quicker we get popcorn and a movie."

Needing no further motivation, they all headed upstairs and began getting ready for bed. Maddie insisted on helping put Sadie in her crib, and she warned her young sister not to take her diaper off during the night. Sadie nodded sleepily and made no fuss when they all said goodnight and left.

Booth went down to make the popcorn while Bones supervised upstairs. They met in the basement and Booth assigned seats, letting them know that each of the kids would get a turn to sit with the adults eventually.

Everyone laughed and enjoyed the movie, though the kids gave Bones a strange look when the onion scene came on and she laughed uncontrollably. When the movie was over, Booth carried Joey up while Bones, Maddie, and Parker gathered up the empty popcorn bowls.

Teeth were brushed, hugs were given, and Booth moved Joey's toddler bed into Maddie's room since the boy had migrated over with her last night. Both adults decided that they wouldn't push the issue, though they both hoped that eventually Joey would feel safe enough to sleep in his own room. Parker was the last to be tucked in and Bones slipped out after getting her hug so that father and son could spend a few minutes alone together.

Closing the door to Parker's room and hearing nothing but silence in the long hallway, Booth breathed a sigh of relief and went in search of his wife. Now that all of the kids were asleep, he was ready just to be with her, to get her take on the case, and of course to pick up where that passionate kiss in the kitchen had left off.


	6. Case Work

Leaving Parker's room so that father and son could have a private moment together, Temperance made a quick stop at her bedroom to change into something more comfortable, then walked downstairs and into the kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee. She removed Seeley's briefcase from the island where he had left it, and took it into the spare room, laying it on the bed.

Surveying the room she decided that while it may have been meant for them to use as an office, it still looked more like a bedroom to her. There were the desk, the printer- that also served as a scanner, a fax machine, and a copier- and the computer set-up for her to work on her laptop and converse with the Jeffersonian, as well as an office chair that was comfortable for the most part. A tall bookcase sat next to the desk and had been filled with some of the reference books that she had kept in the small room that served as an office in her apartment. The remainder of the room's furniture consisted of a full-size bed, a dresser, and a small nightstand with a lamp on it that stood beside the bed. The pale lavender walls and flowery border also made it seem more like a bedroom than an office, though it was better than nothing and would definitely suffice.

Leaving the spare room for the kitchen, she located the coffee mugs, amused to find that some of their personal ones had been interspersed with those that came with the house, and poured the coffee. Both of them preferred their coffee black- especially on nights that they were working on a case- so she turned off the lights and headed back to the spare room.

Her first goal was to finish typing up the notes that she and Booth had made the last time they'd worked on the case. She knew there had been several more developments since then, however, she felt that it was still the most logical place to begin.

"Hey, Beautiful," he repeated his sentiment from earlier in the evening, coming up to stand just behind her shoulder.

She turned her head and flashed a smile in acknowledgement, then went back to her typing.

"Mmm," Seeley commented, sitting down on the corner of the desk and sipping at his mug, "Good coffee, Bones. So are we Wonder Woman and Clark Kent tonight?" he grinned, holding his mug aloft and gesturing to her own.

"I thought you would appreciate something from home," she explained her reasoning.

"Thanks," he smiled, "Ready to get to work?"

"I _am_ working," she informed him, "I'm typing up all of our notes from the last time. There," she sent the work to the printer and waited for it to print out.

"Great," he hopped off of the desk, grabbing the papers as they came out of the printer, "All my notes from today are in the briefcase. We won't know much til Hodgins does his soil analysis, though."

"You got my message?"

"Yup," his head bobbed and he pulled her to her feet, "Now, where were we earlier?"

He leaned in, his lips capturing hers firmly as his arms encircled her. She met the kiss eagerly- the rational half of her mind screaming that they had work to accomplish while the rest of her screamed for more. Having been accustomed to spending the majority of their waking hours together, she had missed him today and she conveyed that in her kiss. They fell in an unceremonious heap onto the bed and the jolt caused her to pull back.

"Seeley," she said breathlessly.

"Temperance," he whispered, tracing his fingers along her exposed waistline.

"No, Booth," she said, switching to his surname in an attempt not to arouse him any further, "We have work to do."

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to be able to do this with you, Bones?" he said, eyeing her as she lay on top of him and gently tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Right now we need to be partners first," she told him, moving off of him.

"Fine," he groaned, sitting up on the bed, "But at eleven we're done and I get to make out with my wife again."

"Perhaps we should select a location that does not have a bed," she suggested.

"Nah," he patted the bed, "I'll behave, Bones."

She eyed him dubiously.

"Hey," he said, his tone growing more serious, "For four years I behaved, so I _can_ control myself when I need to. Besides," he stretched, reaching over to retrieve the briefcase, "The sooner we get this wrapped up, the sooner we can go home."

The thought crossed her mind that she wasn't certain where home was anymore, but she decided that was a conversation for another time- especially since he seemed to be focusing back on the case now. So instead of opening a new line of questioning, she moved around to the other side of the bed, sat down next to him, and began going over the new notes they had compiled separately today.

"What do you think the cocaine on the forged letter indicates?" she said, going over the spectral analysis that Hodgins had sent them.

"I'm not sure," Booth's brow furrowed, "But I can guarantee you it's no coincidence."

"Where is Candie's journal?" she asked next, "That may have some insights."

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Booth said, rising suddenly, "I'll go grab it. You want a refill on your coffee?"

"Half a cup only, please," she answered, "I'll continue looking over your notes."

"Back in a flash," he grinned, snatching up their mugs, and was gone.

It had both impressed and amused her how quickly he had been able to set aside the emotions he had so obviously been feeling for her and focus on the case for the last hour straight. Twice tonight he had commented on how long he had wanted to touch her or be with her in more than just a "partner" sense and it made her curious as to how long that was. For her part, as long as she thought of him as Booth, her partner, and not Seeley, her husband, she found that she could compartmentalize quite easily.

She frowned at the notes in front of her. There was some connection that they were missing that tied Candie to the drug ring in the first place. They also had not been able to narrow down which drug ring she had been involved- however minutely- in, though Watson had helped them narrow it down to four.

The most prominent was a group known as Red Mist. They had been a known presence in the area for decades as suppliers for the East Coast as far north as New England and as far south as the Carolinas, but their leaders remained anonymous and illusive, and it was unknown what country the drugs came in from. Every lead the local and federal officials had ever followed had dissipated. Red Mist was not known for violence, but subtly, intelligence, and breeding loyalty so deeply that even known former members would not divulge their secrets.

The Posse was another suspect group. While not as well-organized as Red Mist, they had managed to import several different illegal substances into the local, underground drug market. It was more than evident that they worked as middle-men: importing drugs from others countries, then distributing them to the drug lords, who passed them on to the street dealers. Violence had been known to happen when the group felt threatened, but only on extremely rare occasions and always involving former members who tried to leak information.

The other two rings-High Tide and the Snakes- vied back and forth for control of Calvert County- where Candie's body had been discovered. Both dealt in cocaine as well as home-grown marijuana, and both were known to dispose of leaks in a very violent manner, though their body dumps usually were made outside the county lines, in areas where the crime rates were higher- making it difficult, if not impossible, to trace back to them. Booth had placed an asterisk beside both, indicating he thought they were the most likely suspects.

"Good luck interpreting this," Booth re-entered the room, throwing the evidence bag containing the journal on the bed in front of her and handing over her coffee mug, "I paged through it when Cullen first gave it to me and it's in some kind of code.

"The techs who found it scanned everything into the computer before we got it, so I had them send it to Hodgins since he likes that kind of stuff. He hadn't gotten a chance to look at it when I talked to him earlier, though. Oh, and put these on for protection," he tossed her a pair of latex gloves that matched the ones he was wearing, "Wouldn't want to mess up the evidence."

Temperance put on the gloves, opened the bag, picked up the journal, and began to page through it. As Booth had warned her, it was written in a coded, alphanumeric text in most entries, though there were a few that spoke of her children and family that were not. Time tables were abundant, making it clear that she was tracking someone's actions very closely.

"Look at this," she pointed to the binding at the back of the journal, "It appears that four of the pages have been removed."

"Lemme see," Booth took the journal, holding it up to the light for further inspection.

"Do you see those ridges close to the binding?" she said, her mind racing to interpret what she had seen, "Those indicate perforations where the pages were removed. There are four distinct ones, though I suppose we should search the entire thing for more."

Booth turned back a few pages and held it up to the light again, "I can see where the paper's perforated," he pointed to the tiny dots that ran down the length of the paper, quite close to the binding,, "But it's gonna be hard to spot missing pages here in the middle. Good catch though, Bones, I might've missed that one."

He smiled and pecked her on the cheek quickly, then went back to inspecting the journal. She turned back to his notes, though her mind was still trying to sort out the significance of the missing pages. They had obviously been carefully removed, but whether that had been done by Candie or some other- more nefarious person- was not evident at this time.

"Why, Booth?" she asked, then colored as she he face indicated that he had no idea what she was referring to, "Why would a woman like Candie Lane wish to compile evidence against a drug ring? Where would she have learned to write in such a complex code and why punctuate the code entries with the seemingly random entries of innocuous information about her family?"

"You're a genius, Bones," he kissed her soundly on the lips, then tore furiously through the journal, flipping back and forth between one of the coded entries and one of the plain ones.

Shrugging, and deciding that Booth would let her in on whatever he found eventually, she began compiling her own set of notes, listing all of the oddities she had noticed in the case so far as it seemed those outweighed the amount of solid evidence that they had.

"Hah!" Booth crowed suddenly, jabbing his latex-clad finger at the journal, "I'm no handwriting expert, Bones, but I'd bet money this was written by two different people."

"You mean Candie wrote the family entries and someone else wrote the coded ones?" she asked just to be sure.

"Sure looks like it," he swore softly, "Makes me wonder if she just picked it up somewhere and started keeping her own diary in the blank pages."

Intuitive leaps were not her strongpoint, so she showed him the list of oddities that she had begun compiling, "I thought perhaps if we had a clearer idea of the things that do not make sense, something that does make may occur to us."

"Good idea."

"Thank you."

"It's eleven, Bones," he nodded at the clock on the nightstand, "Time to wrap things up."

She nodded, but neither of them moved.

"I missed you out there today," he finally said softly, putting the journal back in the evidence bag and peeling off the gloves, "It felt weird being out in the field alone."

She set down her notes and turned to face him, "It was odd for me as well," she admitted, "Though after four years of spending at least eight hours a day together that was somewhat to be expected."

He beckoned her with his arms and she allowed him to pull her close and envelope her in his powerful embrace. Sentimental as it seemed, there was no place she felt safer than in his arms.

"Com' on, Temperance," he released her and stood to his feet, "Time to put the case to bed for the night and grab some shut-eye for ourselves."

She started to protest, feeling as if they had just begun to find answers.

"It'll still be here in the morning," he assured her, helping her to her feet and steering her out of the room with his arm around her shoulders, "And we made twice as much progress tonight than Watson and I made all day."

"We _are_ partners," she pointed out, "Though I suppose for the duration of this case you and he are as well."

"I guess," he shrugged, as they walked up the stairs, "But Watson's got nothing on you!"

"Indeed?"

"Nope," he opened the bedroom door for them and ushered her inside first, "For one thing he's smart, but he's no genius."

"Which I am," she grinned.

"Plus he and I don't complement each other like you and I do," he grinned back, "Not to mention," he eyed her as she slipped of her clothes and began to change, "His legs are nowhere near as sexy as yours."

"So if I was of moderate intelligence and beauty you wouldn't work with me?" she teased, putting her nightshirt on.

Ignoring her question, he advanced toward her, leaving pieces of clothing in his wake. Quicker than she would have thought possible, he picked her up and set her gently beneath him on the bed and lowered his lips to meet hers. For the next several minutes they both simply enjoyed the taste and feel of one another, making use of the bed's large surface area. Before things became too heated, however, they both began to flag, weary from the day's activities.

With a final kiss, Booth rose and turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness.

"Seeley," she called out in the darkness, again feeling the chasm of the king-size bed.

She felt him move closer until she could feel his breath on her face.

"I'm right here," he wrapped his arms around her, "I put some of those extra pillows over on the other side so hopefully I'll stick close tonight."

"I would like that," she smiled, settling down into his embrace with a yawn, "Good night, Seeley Booth."

"Good night, Temperance Booth," he whispered back, kissing her hair, "I love you."

The thought crossed her mind that the decision of what to legally change her name to still lay ahead of her, but she pushed it aside, closed her eyes, and within minutes fell asleep.


	7. Moving Forward

To Booth's dismay it was not Bones' soft kisses that woke him up the next morning, but rather her shrill alarm clock. Groaning, he rolled over toward her side of the bed. He had to roll a second time to get close to her, and by the time he got to where he could reach over her and shut off the alarm clock it had turned off by itself. Collapsing back on the bed, he pulled his wife close and hunkered back down under the covers.

"The alarm will go off again in five minutes you realize?" she said groggily.

"I know," he smiled, "That's five minutes from now, though, and I need some cuddle time with you before that," he nuzzled his face against her neck, "You got away from me again last night, Temperance."

"Correction, Seeley," she said, rolling over to kiss his cheek, "_You_ moved away from _me_," she continued planting small kisses down his face, then his neck, and onto his collarbone, "I am still on my side of the bed."

"Hmm," he groaned, though not from sleep this time, "You know, if you had started correcting me like this four years ago, we wouldn't have had nearly as many fights."

"I doubt that," she frowned, "If I had begun kissing you four years ago you would most likely have thought me to be an odd, desperate woman and our partnership could not have survived."

"I've wanted to kiss you since day one," he boasted, then amended himself when she shot him a glare, "Okay, at least since Cleo Eller."

"Truly?" she rolled onto her stomach, propped herself up on her elbows, and looked him in the eyes.

"Why do you think I had Homeland Security hole you up 'til I could come get you?"

"Because you wished for me to aid you in your investigation and I had asked Zack not to forward your calls," she answered bluntly, "I also suspect that you set up the scenario to impress me with your alpha-male prowess and 'ability' to rescue me from an unwanted situation. It had the opposite effect, by the way."

"Oh yeah?"

"Quite," she nodded her head curtly, "I was incensed that you would attempt to deceive me in such an obvious way and was determined not to allow you any sway over me."

"And yet here we are," he grinned down at her, kissing her lightly on the lips, "Married and everything."

"Hmm, yes," she teased, "It would appear my resolve was weakened over the years."

"I'm glad," he told her.

She smiled and moved closer to him, laying her head on his chest and wrapping an arm around him. He returned the embrace and they lay together until the alarm clock went off again. Slowly they each got up and began getting ready for the day.

He was in the middle of his shower when he heard her call his name.

"Yeah?" he answered, rinsing the last of the shampoo out of his hair.

"Did you know that Scully and Mulder had a baby?"

Through the shower it sounded like she said "Sully" but he knew that couldn't be right so he hurried up and hopped out.

"What?" he asked, when they were standing face to face.

"Scully and Mulder," she repeated as she applied her makeup, "I googled them. They were a doctor and an FBI agent who became lovers and ultimately had a child together."

"Yup," he shifted his weight uncomfortably, "I know. Watched the series from the pilot."

"I don't know what that means," her forehead crinkled in the cute way that he loved, "But I do find it odd that in order to secure me as your partner you would ask me to be the 'Scully' to your 'Mulder' knowing what they ultimately would become."

He laughed gently and tapped her nose as he headed back into their room to dress, "Told you I was into you early on."

"Hmph," she said, "Well I still am not interested in bearing your child."

"You're a great mom, you know?" he asked, coming back into the bathroom to shave, "Just ask the kids."

"The issue does not involve my belief in my mothering skills, though I am still uncertain as to whether I possess that criteria."

"What does it involve?" he asked, as they headed downstairs to get breakfast started.

"A number of factors," she replied thoughtfully, "Not the least of which being that to purposefully bring a child into the world means to possibly subject them to harm."

"We could protect them," he pointed out, not trying to persuade her, but trying to understand her more.

"Seeley," she looked at him directly as she snapped the coffee maker shut and turned the percolator on, "I doubt that either of our four parents set out to hurt us in any manner. My estimation is that- in the rush of the emotions of the day- they vowed to care for us and protect us as we grew up. Even Candie Lane, if you read her entries, never set out to hurt her children. And yet in each case- mine, yours, and the Lane children- that is exactly what happened on one level or another. Nothing is certain in this world, and no amount of protection can shield children from hurt. While I see no harm in offering a safe haven to those who are already a part of the world, I have strong reservations about bringing a new person into the violence and chaos."

He closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands, "Temperance, I will never force you to have a child with me," he promised, "And when we are ready to expand our family, I'll be happy to adopt."

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes glistening with emotion.

He drew her into a hug and kissed the top of her head, "Now, why don't you grab the cereal and I'll grab the kids."

She nodded, still quiet, and he gave her shoulders one last squeeze before turning to go upstairs.

Reaching the upstairs hallway, he heard Parker and Maddie stirring around in their rooms, so he headed to Joey's room first. The little boy was still in his pajamas and back in his own room after sleeping in Maddie's, happily playing with his trains. Booth helped him pick out his school clothes and get dressed, relieved to see that almost all of the little guy's bruises had faded. Tasks complete, Booth sent Joey downstairs to Bones for breakfast.

On the way to the nursery, Booth called out to Maddie and Parker to hurry up and go eat so that they would be ready to leave on time. Sadie beamed when she saw him.

"Dada!" she squealed, "Food. Food."

"I'm hungry too, kiddo," he grinned, "Let's get you changed and we'll head down to Mama."

"Mama!" Sadie squealed even louder.

She took off running for the hall as soon as Booth put her down and he had to chase after her. Swooping her into the air and making her fly like a plane, he took her back in the nursery and changed her diaper, deciding that fresh clothes could wait until after breakfast.

As it turned out, breakfast was spill-free and everyone finished with more than enough time to get to school. The kids were thrilled that Booth would be going with them too, though he made sure they knew he had to leave for work around noon and wouldn't see them until he got back around six. They understood and immediately began asking what activities had been planned for after school. Booth was vague, telling them that they would see when he got home.

Bones took Sadie after breakfast to get dressed, while Booth got Maddie, Parker, and Joey to help him load the dishes in the dishwasher. It was full by the time they finished, so he showed them how to put the soap in and start it up.

Five minutes later they were all loading into the Highlander for the drive to school. They arrived and got the three older kids to their classrooms without incident. The meeting with the school administrator was brief, and helped assure them that the two oldest kids were ready for second grade. Booth hadn't really doubted that Parker was, but he had been concerned about Maddie and was glad to hear that she wasn't behind at all, and was actually ahead in some subjects.

Joey, on the other hand, would need some extra help at home as he didn't really know his alphabet or even how to spell his own name. Booth thought to himself that that was exactly what school was for, but apparently most kids going in knew their names, alphabet, shapes, and basic colors, so he kept his mouth shut. He could tell that Bones was largely keeping her opinion to herself too as she was treating the man the same way she did Sweets back home.

It was nine-thirty before they got back home and Bones headed up right away to put a very sleepy Sadie down for a short nap before they had to pick Joey up at eleven-thirty. Booth, meanwhile, booted up the laptop and activated the video link to the Jeffersonian.

"Seeley," Cam sounded surprised to see him, "Have you been grounded from your new office already?"

"Nope," he shook his head, "Had to meet with the kids' principal, though, to go over all the academic stuff. I'm meeting Watson after lunch."

"Ah domestics," Cam grinned wryly, "How's the good doctor handling everything?"

"Just fine, Cam," Bones answered for herself, moving beside him to be in front of the camera too, "Anything new at the lab?"

"Not much," she shook her head, "Hodgins is poring over that diary, but the only thing he's come up with so far is that whoever wrote the code was not Candie Lane."

"Booth and I reached that conclusion as well," Bones nodded, "We also found that four pages have been torn from the back, and we will check to see if any others are missing in the middle pages as well."

"Sounds good," Cam replied.

"I'll send you all the notes from Watson, and ours too," Booth put in, "It's not much, but it doesn't hurt to be on the same page."

"You guys keep safe," Cam nodded, "If Candie got caught up in this by accident and they hunted her down it could be dangerous for you too."

"What's your take on the fake letter?" Booth settled back in the chair as Bones brought her own in from the kitchen.

Cam thought for a moment, "Could be the same people who hunted Candie down trying to get a lead on the kids. Though why they would be after them I'm not sure."

Booth frowned, "Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I get going after Candie if she had the diary, but hunting down kids who didn't even live with her seems a bit extreme."

"Hopefully we're wrong and they stopped at Candie," Cam sighed.

"Were any fingerprints lifted off of the diary, Cam?" Bones asked suddenly, "That may help identify its original owner."

"I'll check with the FBI techs," Cam promised, "Still no word on the grandparents, then?"

"Nope," Booth shook his head, "And my gut tells me if that fake letter _did_ come from whoever killed Candie, that they're in danger too."

Booth's cell rang and he excused himself from Cam and moved into the other room to answer it.

It was Michaels and it was not good news. He gave the man instructions and promised to make arrangements as soon as he could.

"Camille," he interrupted the squint-talk, noting that Hodgins, Angela, and Clark were on-screen too, "Got two fresh ones headed your way. You wanna come to Bowie, or should I just have them zipped and shipped?"

"I'll meet you there," she sighed, "The grandparents?"

Booth nodded grimly, "I'll mobilize a tech team for you and send Charlie out it if you want him," five pairs of eyes looked at him questioningly, "Look, this proves these people are playing hardball and nice as our setup is, we're not in the WPP for a vacation. You guys are on your own for this one as much as I hate it."

"He's right," Bones said, "After all the work that was put into establishing our cover it would be foolish to break it- even for this."

The rest of the squints nodded grudgingly.

"Send out whoever you need," Booth ordered, "I want every angle of this covered so that no one else dies, alright?"

Heads bobbed and they signed off, promising to keep in touch.

Booth waited until the connection was dead, snapped the laptop shut just to be sure, and swore. Bones sat beside him, silently processing everything. She put her hand in his, giving it a firm squeeze that let him know she was there for him and that she understood. He swore again.

"They didn't deserve that," he freed his hand from hers and ran his fingers through his hair, "They didn't deserve those kids but they didn't deserve death either," he stood up and began pacing, "I didn't want them dead."

"I know," came the quiet response.

"And your squints are good, Bones, they are, but it should be you and me out there checking this out," he sat down on the bed, "But we can't, because whoever gunned them down will definitely be after the kids next."

"So what will you do?" she asked calmly.

"Head into Lusby I guess," he sighed, "For all the good it'll do."

"Watson will need to know," she told him, "And there is a computer link set up for you down there as well so that we can both keep in touch with the Lab."

Booth nodded, his blood pressure returning to normal, "I'll stay here and have lunch with you and Joey before I leave."

"Joey will like that," she smiled, then frowned, "What will we tell the children?"

"Nothing for now," he said, "It wouldn't do them any good to know their grandparents are dead and I don't want to scare them either way. We'll tell them as soon as the case is wrapped, but not before."

"That seems logical," she came and sat beside him on the bed.

He took her hand and began idly stroking it, tracing each of her fingers with his.

"I'm glad you're here with me, Bones," he said after a while, "Much as I hate being cut off from the team and the crime scenes it'd be ten times worse if you we're here with me."

"Why?"

"You keep me centered, I guess," he said, stroking her face, "You don't get bent out of shape about things as easily and you give me support when I need it."

"I'm just as unsettled and displeased as you are," her eyes told him the truth, "But it is useless and dangerous to become emotional in situations like this. Anger and fear cloud reason, and as it appears that this is a much larger case than we initially anticipated, reason must be employed at all costs."

"I love you," he smiled.

"I know," she smiled back.

They stood together and got ready to pick up Joey from school. Booth silently vowed that if he couldn't do anything out in the field, he would funnel all of that energy into keeping his new family as safe as he could.


	8. Questions and Answers

As she had predicted, Joey was thrilled to have Booth to himself for lunch and had talked to him during the entire meal. Booth left shortly after lunch, leaving Temperance with two tired children. Joey kept insisting that he was not sleepy, all the while rubbing his eyes. She put Sadie in her crib first and the little girl went down without a fight.

Joey, on the other hand, was adamant that he was too old for naps, even though his fatigue was more than obvious. Remembering what Booth did with Parker just before bed at night, she selected a children's book from the small bookcase provided by the WPP and began reading. Within ten minutes Joey was asleep and she quietly slipped off of the bed and out of the room before he woke up.

She spent the next two hours transcribing all of their new notes and sending them to Cam and filling out some of the paperwork that had begun accumulating already. Cam had been sending her all of the paperwork as email attachments to a new account that was set up in Kelly Keller's name. Temperance didn't pretend to understand half of what Angela had explained to her, but the bottom line was the email was encrypted enough to be virtually untraceable and unreadable to anyone trying to intercept it.

Before she knew it, it was time to wake the younger two up and pick the older two up from school. It was times like this that she wished they could use the bus system, but both she and Seeley had agreed it was safest if she picked them up and dropped them off every day. It was a hassle to be sure, but in light of today's findings it was a small price to pay for the children's safety. She and Seeley were the only ones authorized to pick up the children and the school's staff knew to alert either of them should anyone else attempt to pick them up.

She was pleased when she picked them up to see that Maddie and Parker had experienced a good first day. Earlier, while they were getting ready for school, Temperance had heard Maddie ask Parker what would happen if the other children didn't like her or wish to be her friend. With his patented Booth charm, Parker had assured her that everything would be okay and that even if nobody else liked her, he would always be her friend.

As it turned out, Maddie's fears were groundless as she had not only met several girls who had been kind to her, but she had also been invited to a birthday party on Saturday. Apparently the whole class had been invited previously, and the child's mother had extended the invitation to Parker and Maddie as well. Temperance told them that she would check with their father later, but she did not know of any previous engagements and did not think it would be a problem.

When they arrived home, she gave them all some apples and cheese to snack on, then insisted that the school-aged children complete their homework right away. She and Joey worked on the enrichment worksheets that had been provided for him, and she moved back and forth along the dining room table aiding Parker and Maddie with their homework. They each had spelling words to write out and math reinforcement sheets to complete, but within forty minutes they were done and had raced upstairs to change out of their school clothes.

They spent the rest of the afternoon outside playing. Sadie and Joey, fully rested from their earlier naps, joined the older two excitedly. Parker had just begun to teach his step-mother how to play a basketball game called "Horse" that did not involve dribbling when Seeley called to let her know he was half-way home. She excused herself from the game so that she could begin preparing dinner and promised Parker that she would play with him again after the meal.

Keeping a close eye on everyone through the large kitchen window, she began preparing spaghetti for the evening meal. She cooked up ground hamburger- which smelled disgusting to her- to add to the sauce, and set a small amount of plain sauce aside for herself. When the children came in announcing that they were bored, she had them wash their hands and began searching for something that they could help her accomplish.

Seeley came home just as they were coming back down to her and she begged him with her eyes to help her find something to keep them occupied so that she could finish making the salad and preparing the pasta and sauce. He immediately gave the older three children butter knives and began showing them how to make garlic bread. Sadie toddled back and forth between the two adults, curious as to what each was doing.

When the garlic bread was in the oven, all six of them helped to set the table. A loud cheer went up when the last buzzer went off, announcing that dinner was ready for consumption. The meal was a success and the table was abuzz with conversation as everyone exchanged information about their day. Maddie and Parker were especially excited when they received permission to attend the birthday party. Joey was upset that he would not get to go as he was not invited, but Seeley promised to teach him how to play football instead. Excited by the prospect, Joey got up from his seat and gave the FBI agent a huge hug and thanked Seeley for being his new daddy.

It was still daylight out when they finished, so Seeley suggested that they all go back outside to play. Parker, Maddie, and Temperance played Horse, while Joey, Sadie, and Booth played in the sandbox beside the swing set. Maddie won the game and Parker congratulated her, then challenged her to a footrace to the other end of the yard.

"Having fun?" Seeley walked over from the sandbox.

"Yes," Temperance replied, helping him brush the sand off of his clothing, "It was refreshing to find that not all basketball games require dribbling skills."

He laughed at her and she glared at him in return.

"I think we are going to have a tired crew tonight," he observed, watching as all four children raced back and forth across the yard.

"Yes," she agreed, "Thank you for your help with dinner."

"No problem," he shrugged, "And I'll cook on the weekend so you can have a break."

They shared a smile that was moving toward a kiss when Joey fell and skinned his knee. It was only a surface abrasion, but he was tired and was not easily consoled. Deciding that it was growing dark anyway, they hustled the children inside and began getting them ready for bed. As Seeley had put it, they were a "tired crew" and put up very little resistance. Less than an hour after they started, the last one was tucked in and the upstairs hall was silent.

The Booths changed into more comfortable clothing and headed down to the office to see if anything had been found at the crime scene. There was a message from Cam saying that they were delayed in traffic getting back and she would not have a full report until tomorrow. Hodgins had also emailed them, reporting that he still could not crack the code, and he had forwarded it to the FBI's code-breakers to see if they could help.

Temperance set about reading all of the new emails that had been forwarded to her since the morning, while Booth stretched out on the bed to fill out his paperwork. The first email she opened was from her publisher, reminding her that the outline of her next book was due in just over a month. She answered the ones that warranted it and deleted the rest.

Shutting down the computer, she joined Booth on the bed.

"You'd think we'd get out of the paperwork since we're banned from the field," he commented, setting his stack aside for the moment.

"Yes," she grimaced, "That's what I spent the early afternoon doing after you left."

"Now this," he grinned, putting an arm around her, "Is worth coming home to."

"A haggard wife who has barely enough time to accomplish the day's tasks?" she asked wryly.

He considered her for a long moment before speaking, "You okay, Bones? I mean, you're doing a great job of juggling everything but how are you doing?"

"I feel rushed," she admitted, "I drop the children off at school and come home, then I put Sadie down to nap and I catch up on the news at the Jeffersonian, only to turn around two hours later to pick up Joey. We get lunch, play for a bit, Sadie gets another nap as does Joey if he needs one, and before I have time to accomplish any real tasks it's time to bring Parker and Maddie home.

"They come home and need help with homework, then they wish to be played with, after which it is time for dinner to be prepared. This is only our second day on this schedule and already I feel overwhelmed by the task of childrearing."

Booth reached over and closed the case file that had been sitting on her lap, setting it, and the paperwork he had been filling out onto the desk.

"What did you do that for?" she asked.

"We're done with work tonight, Temperance," he told her gently but firmly, "There's not much we can do anyway and you need to rest."

She sagged against the pillow, too tired to argue with him, "I don't know how working mothers accomplish everything they need to for their jobs while not neglecting the emotional and physical needs of their children."

"They don't, Bones," he said, pulling her into his embrace, "They fake it and do the best they can."

"I don't like doing things in half-measures," she told him.

"I know," he turned her around and began massaging her trapezium, "What's the hardest part?"

"Not being alone," she answered honestly, "I am not used to having so many people around me, demanding my attention so much of the time."

"You've got the squints," he teased, "They're always underfoot."

She shook her head, "They are grown men and women who do not require my supervision at all times, nor do they wear diapers that need changing, or have homework that requires correcting."

"So you need some space?" he asked, his hands relaxing her muscles with every stroke.

"Yes."

"Okay," he said, turning her back around to face him, "From now on I can give you the hour right after dinner kid free. If work wasn't so far away I'd give you more."

"But what if they wish to play?"

"They can play with me, or work on chores around here to lighten the load. I was serious when I told them I don't want you left with the lion's share of the housework. We're a family and even Sadie is more than capable of picking up her toys after she plays with them and even if they don't like it- tough. They've gotta learn at some point that we can only do so much and then we need a break. My days are nothing compared to yours so it's no problem for me to come home and run around with them, or even help with homework if you want me to."

She considered his words and nodded, though there were still some issues concerning her.

"What's that face for?" he asked.

She looked into his warm, brown eyes, "Sometimes I speculate what this will be like once we are back in DC."

"Like what?"

"Well, right now things between the two of us seem good, however we are not working together eight to twelve hours either, and the time that we have together is limited. I wonder if we will grow weary of one another once we go back, since we will be both working together and living together."

"We'll do we're doing right now," he said, stroking her face with his forefinger, "We'll figure out the boundaries and what each of us wants and needs and we'll compromise. I have no problem giving you time alone if that's what you need."

"Thank you," a weight lifted off of her and she laid down fully on the bed and curled up inside of his warm embrace.

"Besides," he whispered in her ear, "I'll never get tired of being with you."

"I'm not sure that you can realistically promise that."

"Temperance," he turned her so that their eyes met, "How many waking hours have we spent apart over the last year?"

"I'm not certain," she furrowed her brow, "It's not as if I've sat down and calculated them."

"During a case, I'm willing to bet we spend maybe two hours apart in the morning and another two at night," he pointed out softly, "Face it Bones, we should have been sick of each other a long time ago for all the hours we've logged together. Besides, now we get to sleep together too; and when I say sleep I mean-"

"Yes, she rolled her eyes, catching the obvious euphemism, "I believe Angela would call us partners with benefits."

"Hmm, yes," a feral grin spread across his face, making his eyes gleam, "Now, come here and let's start collecting on those benefits."

"We do have our own bedroom, you know?" she laughed as he began removing her clothing.

"There's a bed here," he said, "And an alarm clock to wake us up."

"True," she acknowledged, removing his clothes and enjoying the view, "And this bed is smaller."

"Mmm," he breathed, kissing along her collarbone, "Works for me."

Hours later, they lay together, basking in the afterglow of their love.

"Tired?" he asked her, reaching over to turn out the light.

"Yes," she said as the room was plunged into darkness, "Though I do not feel as weary or overwhelmed as I did earlier."

"Good," she could hear the smile in his voice, "That was the Seeley Booth stress relief special."

"Indeed?" she purred, "And do you offer this special to all of your partners?"

"Nah," he shook his head, "Just the sexy scientist ones that marry me."

She slapped him lightly on his chest in reproof, "Sexy scientist?"

"Hey," he threw up his hands in mock protest, "You're sexy and you're a scientist, I can't help that. 'Course you're also my wife, so that makes you doubly sexy."

"Good to know I wasn't sexy before we were married," she said drily.

"Oh you were," he grinned, "But it's double that now."

"It truly does make a difference to you then?" she asked, "Our being married?"

"It does," he answered, "How about for you?"

"Somewhat, I suppose," she said, "Though in some respects I fail to see how it is any different than simply moving in together."

"Commitment," he said without thinking about it.

"But I am every bit as much committed to you now as I would be if we were living together."

"I'm not saying you wouldn't be," he said, "But marriage is society's way of making that commitment known to the world."

"Staking a claim, you mean."

"No, Temperance, not like you mean that," he fingered her rings, "These rings let people know, without a doubt, that we've set ourselves apart exclusively for each other. A flash of those rings and anybody hitting on you will back off.

"Moving in together is fine, but it still gives you an easy out if things go south. To me, being married means we stick it out no matter what for the rest of our lives. It means I look out for you and your needs and you look out for me and mine and it's love-centered not lust-centered."

She thought back to all of her childhood memories and knew that her parents shared Seeley's view of marriage.

"While I still do not fully understand your viewpoint I am glad that we can dialogue openly about such things," she said finally, "And I am content with the status of our relationship."

"I never doubted that," he replied.

They said good night and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Twists and Turns

To Booth's delight, he could feel the warmth of his wife's body when he awoke the next morning. She wasn't in his arms still, but he remedied that quickly enough.

"Mmm, that feels good," she muttered as he kneaded the muscles in her back.

"We're stealing this bed," he informed her.

"The other one is too large for this room," she pointed out, still clearly enjoying the rub.

"Oh, I'll make it fit," he assured her, "I don't care if I have to move all of this furniture up there; we are keeping this bed."

"That's not logical."

"Oh yes it is," he said, "I miss waking up to you like this and the only way to remedy that is to switch beds. Now, if that means some of the office goes up to our bedroom so the mile-wide bed fits down here so be it. I might not have time to get it done today but I will on the weekend."

"Seeley," she rolled over and eyed him lazily, "If you insist on this course of action, please be sure not to injure your back any further."

"Hmm," he leaned close and began kissing her, "I _like_ it when you fix my back, Temperance."

"Be that as it may," she purred, their legs meeting and intertwining under the sheets, "It would not do to have you incapacitated for any length of time."

The alarm screeched, interrupting any response he may have had and he groaned in protest, pinning her to the bed and kissing her deeply before she had a chance to escape.

"You have to go to work today," she pointed out when they came up for air, "And the children have school."

"Tomorrow, Bones," he growled, "You are all mine!"

"Maddie and Parker have a birthday party to attend," she reminded him, "Not to mention your grand moving plans."

"Mock me now," he warned, "But this bed is coming to our room and we're sleeping down here 'til it gets there."

"I'm not sure how wise it will be to try and work on the case in the room in which we are sleeping," she said, unconvinced.

"It'll be fine," he waved it off as they began heading upstairs to change, "Besides, you're the queen of compartmentalizing so you'll keep me in line."

She slapped him lightly on the shoulder, but didn't argue the point any further. They showered separately and got dressed. He hummed "Working for the Weekend" the entire time, making her laugh and roll her eyes at him. Together they got the kids up and dressed and down for breakfast with time to spare.

"Cereal again?" Parker complained.

"Tomorrow we'll make French toast, okay, bub?" Booth asked, "Now eat up and get ready for school."

Parker nodded and began shoveling the cereal into his mouth. It crossed Booth's mind that Rebecca probably didn't make him a hot breakfast every morning, but he wasn't positive and he couldn't break cover to ask, so he decided that they could at least try and have three hot breakfasts a week.

After he and Bones cleaned up he helped her load everyone in the Highlander and waved as they took off for the school. He thought back to Bones' comments about constantly having to ferry them back and forth and wondered if there was something he could do to help ease that load. He certainly had time to drop them off, but he couldn't fit all of them in his car, and he didn't think he'd have time to bring the Highlander back in time for him to get to work.

Technically, he wasn't needed down in the office at a certain time, so bumping back his start time by another fifteen minutes shouldn't be a problem. He decided he'd bounce the idea off of Watson and Cullen before he said anything to Bones. He'd known that this would be a tough transition for her and he was proud of how well she was handling everything, but he wanted to help where he could too.

On the long drive down he thought about all of the changes that had come over the past two weeks. He wondered too how long it was going to take to wrap this one up.

His phone rang, "B-Keller," he corrected himself, setting the phone to speaker so that he could drive and talk at the same time.

"David," Cam's voice greeted him, "Glad I caught you. I've got some interesting facts on the contract you farmed out to me the other day."

"Really?" Booth pulled up in front of the office," Well, look, I'm about to head in, so why don't I call you back in a minute?"

"I'll be waiting," he could almost see the curt nod on the other end of the line.

They hung up and Booth grabbed his briefcase, entered the office, and booted up the computer as fast as he could. There was a message on the machine from Watson saying he wasn't feeling the greatest, but he'd be in around ten. The kid sounded horrible so Booth gave him a quick call and told him to stay home and get better. The last thing Booth needed was to get a stomach bug. He did mention about coming in a little later and the other man didn't see a problem, but agreed they should check with Cullen before making any official decision.

"'Bout time, Seeley," Cam's smiling face popped up on the screen just as he hung up with Watson, nearly scaring him to death.

"Patience, Camille," he teased back, "So whatcha got for me? And clever phrasing back there on the cell, by the way. You're doing great at that cloak and dagger stuff."

"My Oscar's on its way," she said drily, "And actually, I'm waiting for someone else before I go into any detail."

The vid-conference window suddenly divided itself into two parts and a familiar face appeared.

"I'm here," Bones said, "Though I only have a limited time so it would help if you could be as brief as possible."

Cam smiled patiently and Booth hid a grin.

"Well," Cam started, "The bottom line is that the Lane grandparents were definitely murdered- single gunshot wound to the forehead, classic execution style. They retrieved one of the bullets but the other one was lodged so far in, even I had a tough time finding it. A .22 was what I recovered from the male, and entrance and exit wounds confirm that for the female as well. Ligature marks indicate they were tied and Hodgins is going over them now looking for fibers. These two definitely saw what was coming and it was not pretty."

"They were alert at the time then?" Bones wanted to know.

"Oh yeah, and looking their killer in the eye as near as I can tell," Cam nodded.

"Any hits on the bullet?" Booth asked.

"No," Cam shook her head, "But the Lanes did have a .22 registered in their name, and I confirmed with Michaels that it's missing from the house."

Booth swore, "So these guys wait for Gramps and Gram to fall for the phony insurance bait, then nab 'em and shoot 'em with their own gun?"

"Conjecture's your thing," Cam shrugged, "But the evidence seems to be leading us that way, yes."

"Which still leaves us asking why go after the kids when mom's gone?" Booth ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated, "And why kill the grandparents? Did they spill or refuse?"

The scientists looked at him blankly, as though waiting for him to answer his own questions.

"How's Hodgins doing on the diary?" he asked.

"I think he and his code-breaker friend are making some headway," Cam answered, "But according to him it could be a long process."

"We don't have the time!" Booth slammed his fist down on the desk, "For all we know these guys could be hunting us down next and so far they've got a good track record going."

"Hate to make a bad day worse," Cam interjected, "But the prints on the diary came back to Candie, an unknown partial, and those of one Paul Zap," she paused and gave Booth a pointed look before dropping the bomb, "Zap was undercover with the DEA."

"Was?" Booth didn't like the sound of that.

"Yup," Cam nodded, "Turned up floating in the Chesapeake up near Annapolis a year ago today. Coroner ruled execution, but the case went cold quick."

"Were you able to procure the autopsy report?" Bones asked.

"Yeah, but it didn't tell me any more than it did the coroner at the time," Cam sighed, "The evidence from the case could fit in a shoebox there's so little and so far we haven't found any links to our cases except his fingerprints on Candie's diary and the fact that he was shot with his service weapon."

"Was the angle deemed inappropriate for suicide?" Bones wanted to know.

"You got it," Cam nodded grimly, "And the gun was never recovered; just the bullet."

"Cam," a thought occurred to Booth, "Check with the DEA and see if we can get a handwriting sample of Paul's to compare with the diary. That'll at least rule out whether it was his or not, and maybe if it is they have a guy over there that can translate his code. If that pans out I'll send somebody over to interview his boss and co-workers, the works."

"Will do," came Cam's quick response, "Anything else you can think of?"

The partners shook their head in tandem and Cam excused herself to go back to the bodies, shutting down the link from the Jeffersonian.

"How's it going, Bones?" Booth asked as the split-screen dissolved and her face filled his computer's monitor.

"In the case or at the house?" she wanted to know.

"House," he smiled gently, "You holding up okay?"

"Yes," she sighed, "I still feel rushed, but at least now we are making headway with the case, so that helps to keep me focused."

"It's killing you not being there," it was more of a statement than a question. He had watched her face the entire time Cam was talking and he knew she was itching to get back to the lab and get her hands on the evidence.

"Not physically, but it is emotionally straining," she admitted, leaning back in her chair heavily.

"Hey," he comforted her, "They're the best, and you'd just be complaining about all of the flesh if we were there anyway."

"Possibly," she nodded, "Though I cannot help thinking that were the two of us in Washington and not here we would have found the link to the children already."

"Yeah," Booth ran his fingers through his hair again and let out a long breath, "Can't say I haven't thought the same thing, but we can't do anything to change it so we've gotta do the best with what we've got. Besides, Temperance, would you honestly trust anyone else with the kids at this point?"

She shook her head and he could read the frustration and tinges of helplessness on her face.

"We'll get 'em, Bones," he assured her, "The squint squad hasn't failed us yet and we're still calling the shots behind the scenes."

"I should go," she said suddenly, looking off-camera at the clock on the nightstand.

"I love you," he reminded her, "And you're doing a great job with the kids."

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"'Bye, Temperance."

"Good bye, Seeley. I'll see you tonight when you return home."

They shared a smile and cut the link. He wished he could've hugged her through the connection, but at least they'd gotten a few minutes together. Doubling his resolve to help her out, he called Cullen on the secure line in the office. After updating him on the new developments he presented his case to the director as best as he could. Cullen agreed as long as Watson was alright with it and Booth breathed a sigh of relief for the first time that day as he hung up the phone.

He glanced at his watch. Lunch time already. Sighing, he pulled out the lunch he'd packed earlier, then set up his big Post-It note board in the corner of the office as he ate. It was time to lay out all of the dots they had so far and figure out exactly how they all connected.


	10. Dr Bones

As Booth's image faded from the screen, Temperance closed the conference window and began checking her e-mail, allowing her mind to drift to the conversation that had just taken place. As needy as it made her feel, she acknowledged to herself that she missed him. It was not that she missed his physical touch- though she had nothing against that- but rather she missed his constant presence as they worked through a case together.

She grinned ruefully to herself as she shut down the computer, thinking of all of the times during their partnership that she had wished they did not work in such close proximity for such long hours. There was a time not long after she had blackmailed him into allowing her to aid in the fieldwork that she wished she had not. The man was irritating and arrogant at best and seemed to enjoy provoking her on nearly every subject they discussed.

It used to irritate her to no small end when he would show up at her office and demand that she eat- or even worse- leave the lab before she had completed her work. And she had certainly felt uncomfortable the first time that he had remained in her office, on her couch so that they could complete their paperwork simultaneously.

Slowly but surely, however, he had inserted himself into nearly every hour of her day, and by his doing so they had evolved into a highly effective working pair. It was this loss, she decided as she moved upstairs to wake Sadie, that she felt most keenly right now. They were partners who were being forced to work separately during the day- neither one of them allowed in the field and neither one of them able to view the evidence first-hand. It felt very debilitating.

"Dada?" Sadie asked sleepily as Temperance changed the baby's diaper.

"He's at work," she explained, "And I am certain he is doing his best to bring your mother's killer to justice," she recalled the conversation she had once had with Andy as to her and Booth's qualifications and smiled, "We are both doing our best."

"Momma best," Sadie grinned, obviously not referring to the same mother.

Temperance smiled back, secured the diaper, redressed Sadie, and set her down on the floor.

"Up!" Sadie demanded.

"No," Temperance shook her head firmly, "I will hold your hand, but you must walk under your own power."

Sadie pouted, but finally took her guardian's outstretched hand when she realized that Temperance was not going to change her mind on the matter. The journey downstairs took considerably longer than it would have had Sadie been carried down and they barely made it to the school in time to pick Joey up, however the look of pride that Sadie had possessed when they reached the bottom of the steps helped Temperance know that she had done the correct thing.

When they arrived back at the house, Sadie did not once asked to be picked up, and instead made her way across the yard and into the house unassisted. Joey praised his little sister for going up the front stairs all by herself and after lunch she followed him up the larger staircase, again, beaming with pride as she reached the top.

"Sadie's getting awful big," Joey commented as Temperance tucked him into bed for his nap.

"You were once as small as Sadie is," she told him, "And you have grown as well."

"Someday," Joey said enthusiastically, "I'm going to be as big as Daddy!"

A number of scientific responses came to her mind, but she decided to ask another question instead, "Why do you wish to be as big as him?"

Joey's face contorted with something akin to rage, "So that nobody can hurt me or my sisters ever again."

Concerned by his strong emotions, she lifted him out of the bed and set him on her lap as she sat down.

"Do you fear being hurt again?" she asked calmly, smoothing his tousled locks of hair.

The boy nodded hesitantly, "Sometimes. But not when Daddy's here. He's a good protector and he wouldn't let anybody hurt us."

"You're very right," she told him, "But he never enjoys having to hurt someone else, even if they have caused him pain."

"How come?"

She chose her words carefully, "Because no one deserves to be treated with cruelty. Both Agent Booth and I have been trained in physical combat, but neither one of us would attack anyone unless they attacked us first."

Joey nodded and yawned sleepily. Gently, she stood and placed him back in bed, tucking the covers around him securely.

"Momma," he called as she was about to exit the room.

"Yes?" she turned to face him.

"I'm glad you're not Dr. Bones now," he told her with a smile.

"Why is that?"

"'Cause you're a good Momma," he said without hesitation, "And 'cause I'm still too little to protect me and the girls."

She returned his smile and left, unsure of how to respond to his candid praise.

The rest of the afternoon flew by quickly. After picking Parker and Maddie up at the school, she drove all of them to the nearest mall so that Parker and Maddie could select a gift to take with them to birthday party the following day. It took forty-five minutes of intense deliberation before Maddie and Parker finally agreed on the correct gift. They had it gift-wrapped since they had no wrapping paper at the house and by the time they finally left the mall all five of them were fatigued.

"Have fun?" a cheerful Seeley Booth greeted her in the driveway, helping to unbuckle Sadie and Joey.

Before she could answer, the children interrupted and proceeded to give him a minute by minute account of their shopping trip. He smiled easily, listening to each one of them in turn while surreptitiously slipping his arm around her waist as she fell into step beside him.

"Go wash up for dinner," he ordered once they were inside.

"I didn't make anything," she informed him as he guided her toward the dining room.

"Me neither," he grinned.

She was sifting through the available meals that they had on hand when they entered the dining room. Several steaming cartons of Chinese food had been arranged in the middle of the table, and all of the places had been set. She smiled her thanks and he gave her a quick kiss just before the children came in from washing their hands. All of them enjoyed the food immensely. Sadie especially enjoyed fingering the Lo Mein noodles and slurping them up into her mouth.

Sated and weary from their adventures at the mall, the children made no fuss as they were sent to bed soon after dinner was over.

"So," Seeley asked as the two of them waited for their coffee to brew, "You still anxious to get back to the lab?"

"No," she shook her head, "While I've no doubt that we could solve this case more quickly and efficiently if we were in our natural environment, I understand now that we are needed here for the moment."

"Really?" he looked surprised, "What changed your mind?"

"Joey told me today that he was glad I was not Dr. Bones right now because he is not big enough to protect his sisters."

"Ah," he nodded knowingly, "Nothing like a kid to put things in perspective for you."

"So it would seem," she nodded, "It certainly assured me that we are doing the correct thing by staying undercover and protecting the children."

"Yup," he smiled, "It's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's definitely worth it."

The coffee finished brewing and she poured them each a cup.

"Come on," Booth gestured, taking his mug from her, "Dr. Bones is needed in the office to help crack the case."

"And will Agent Booth be coming along as well?" she teased.

"Yup," his eyes glinted with laughter, "But come eleven he'll need to leave."

"Why?" even after four years she still couldn't follow his line of thinking.

"'Cause then Seeley's gonna jump _your_ bones!"


	11. Opening Up

As they entered the office and began pulling out files, Booth marveled at how quickly his wife slipped into her role as his work partner. Together they pored over the chart he had drawn up at work. She would comment from time to time if she thought something didn't make sense, or had a question about what a note meant, but for the most part they worked in silence.

"So we know that Zap was the one who was collecting evidence in the diary," he said, sitting down in the office chair, his brow furrowed in thought, "And it is clear that whoever he was collecting evidence against found him before the diary made it back to the DEA."

"How do you suppose Candie ended up with it?" Bones asked, equally thoughtful.

"One of two things," he told her, "Either she was Zap's informant and she knew about the diary all along, or she ended up with the diary somehow and never realized what was in it. I'd bet she never knew though, I mean, who writes 'Dear Diary' stuff on the back of notes they know are important?"

"It would seem odd," Bones nodded, "But that still does not tell us either how she came into possession of the diary, or the connection of the diary to the children."

The computer chirped, startling them both and Bones brought up the vid screen.

"Sorry to call so late," Cam said as she came on-screen, "But you need to know this."

"Go ahead," Booth nodded.

Cam composed herself and began, "We got a handwriting sample back from the DEA and the diary was definitely Paul Zap's. His boss, Jeff Tucker, said he was tracking down a group called Red Mist, and that he'd traced them from Pennsylvania down to Maryland. Zap fell off the grid about two months before he was found in the bay and the DEA hadn't gotten anything but vague clues as to what he was uncovering, though the water cooler theory was he was closing in on something big.

"When his body turned up everything went south as far as the investigation and they never got a fix on where he was in the case when he was killed. The actual coroner's report isn't too different from the one I pulled earlier, it just has that they suspect it was Red Mist who put out the hit and that TOD was a week prior to when they'd fished him out. Nothing about the DEA case he was working on was ever confirmed, though. Zap's partner at the time," she shuffled through the notes she was reading from, "Natasha Quinn, is still with the Agency, and Tucker said if anybody knows how to read Paul's code it's her."

"I'll have Charlie question her," Booth said.

"Not a good idea," Cam shook her head, "Quinn has barely said one word about her partner since he turned up dead and Tucker said the last time he sent her for a psyche evaluation, she nearly ripped his head off. Apparently she's one of the best, so he let her keep working, but she hasn't been out from behind her desk in a year and she's not going to talk about this easily."

"Cam," Bones spoke up, "Would it be possible for you to set up the video link in the conference room so that we can question Quinn ourselves?"

"I don't see why not," Cam shrugged.

"What are you thinking, Bones?" Booth asked.

"I'm thinking that I know exactly the pain that Quinn has felt over the last year and that it is possible that we might be the more empathetic choice to conduct the interview. She doesn't need to know that we are undercover, simply that we are unavailable to meet in person. This woman could be able to provide us with the key to unlocking Zap's code."

"It could work," Booth said slowly, "But we'd have to clear it with Cullen."

"I'll handle that," Cam told him, "Are you two free at all tomorrow?"

"Maddie and Parker had a birthday party to attend from ten until twelve," Bones supplied, "Though to be honest, evening would be best once the children have been put to bed."

Booth knew bringing Quinn in on a Saturday night to talk about her dead partner would be a hard sell, and he could read in Cam's face that she knew it too.

"Bones could meet with her at one," he suggested.

"Why choose me?" her head whipped toward him, "Why couldn't you?"

"You said it yourself, Bones," he made eye contact with her and spoke encouragingly, "You know what it feels like, you know the information we need, and it's not like you've never sat in on a questioning before."

"My interpersonal skills are not as honed as yours," she argued, and he could see Cam silently agreeing with her.

"We'll come up with a list of questions," he told her, "She's not a suspect, just someone who we need to give us information," he looked back and forth at both women, "We're at a stalemate here on our end. I know that everything is upside down and backwards on this case and believe you me if we were in DC we'd do this together. But we're not, and we need to get over that and get on with what needs to be done for the case.

"You can handle this, Temperance," he spoke directly to his wife, "I know you can."

They shared a long look and he watched proudly as her doubt faded and determination took over.

"See if that will be suitable to Cullen," she ordered Cam, "If it is, then I will conduct the interview."

"I'll get right on it and get back to you tonight," Cam nodded curtly.

They said goodbye and closed the connection.

For the next hour, he and Bones worked on questions that she should ask the DEA agent and he gave her a crash course on subtlety and tact. Cam called back to confirm that the meeting was on and added that Hodgins was more than willing to work with Quinn if she agreed to help decode the diary. Once all the details were agreed on, they signed out of the conference and spent the rest of the time until eleven catching up on paperwork.

"This part of the job," he said as they put everything neatly back where it belonged, "I could do without."

She nodded, "My work at the Jeffersonian has always required paperwork that needed to be filled out, but it's very minute compared to field work."

"You did ask for it, Bones," he teased.

"True," she agreed, "But my aim was to gain a broader scope of the context of certain crimes, not increase my paperwork load."

"Now see, that I never understood," he took her wrists in his bands and began massaging them as they settled into bed, "You always claim you wanted to get out in the field, but you're constantly talking about all of the digs you've been on, and you were quite the world traveler before I met you."

"Digs, yes," she relaxed in his arms, "But those are different. Archaeological digs are purely esoteric and noteworthy only within the scientific community. Examining mass graves and identifying victims of genocide is even more tedious than most of the work that we do, and hardly benefits anyone outside of the victim's families.

"Field work as it pertains to the cases that you and I have worked together," she paused as if searching for words, "Is far more rewarding."

"Because you get a sexy FBI Agent to release all of your pesky biological urges with at the end of the day?" he teased.

"No," she completely missed the teasing, "Because what we are doing has an immediate impact on the world around us. We remove criminals from the street and ease the victim's families at a time of great grief. Field work is also far more educational from a scientific standpoint as I am constantly learning more about my field and am perfecting the techniques that are used. In being given full access to all aspects of the crime-solving process, I have been able to publish several articles in the field of forensic anthropology that will aid others in my field in the future."

"I don't think I realized that," he smiled, "Good for you, Bones."

"So what is something that I would not realize about you?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"There are still many things that we do not know about each other," she pointed out, "What is one thing about you that I most likely do not already know?"

"Er," he managed, "Gimme a sec."

She nodded and began getting ready for bed as he thought.

Her question had caught him off guard and he wracked his brain trying to think of something to tell her. For years he had deliberately directed their conversations to cover any topic but him. There were things that he definitely had not wanted her to know about and other things that he thought might burden her more than she already was. Now, though, she was his wife, and the honesty and openness had to go both ways.

"I'm sorry," he felt her slight hand touch his arm as she settled back down on the bed, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or to pry into your personal life."

It was then he realized how closed off he'd truly been toward her all these years and how unfair that was whether she saw it that way or not.

"Temperance," he cupped her face in his hands, stroking the soft curves of her face, "You are my wife and I'm the one who needs to be apologizing."

It was her turn to look confused.

"For the past four years," he moved his hands down to take hers, gently stroking her fingers as he talked, "I've poked and prodded and generally made a nuisance of myself when it came to getting you to open up about your personal life or your feelings. I know," he looked at her as she started to protest, "That it's done a lot of good and I'm proud- really proud, Bones- at how far you've come in so short a time. But I've never obeyed my own rule, Bones; I never have given you anywhere near what you've given me, and I'm sorry."

He felt her eyes searching his face, "Why keep silent?"

He shrugged wearily, "Some of it was just too personal- too painful- for me to want to open up to you and let you in."

"Your family history, you mean?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he hung his head slightly, ashamed, "And the rest was stuff that I didn't want to burden you with," he suddenly sought her eyes, needing her to understand him, "You had enough on your plate without having to deal with my crap too."

"And you didn't want my good opinion of you to falter?" she guessed.

He nodded silently, wondering what her response would be.

"As it appears you are asking me for forgiveness, I forgive you," she smiled warmly and squeezed his hands, "But your logic is dreadful."

"It is?"

"Seeley," she said gently, "I understand your desire to keep your family's background secret as it is obvious you do not even address the issue among yourselves. I also have seen your medical and professional file and know that your experiences as a sniper involved capture and torture- things that to this day must take a toll on your emotional and physical well-being.

"That being said, I am neither a fool, nor a weak person. I have known that you are not always as forthright with me as I have been with you and yet obviously I have not let that hinder our friendship or our marriage for that matter. To say that you did not wish me to know certain things is honest, and I appreciate that, but to say that other things you hid so that I would not have to bear your burdens as well as my own is both noble and selfish.

"It is noble, because you are bearing the burden alone in an attempt to 'shield' me from taking on more than you believe I should- which is ridiculous, by the way, as my life is proof that I can handle a great many things. It is selfish because you have kept everything to yourself and not allowed myself or anyone else to aid you the way you have aided me.

"Finally, to think that my good opinion of you would falter should I know more about your personal life is unnecessary and highly egotistical," she smiled at him, "I could never think less of you for having faults or experiencing hardships any more than you could think less of me for my background."

"Thanks," he said simply, unable to think of anything more.

"So," she turned off the light and settled underneath the covers, "Tell me something about yourself Seeley- something I don't already know."

He got up momentarily and stripped down to his boxers before joining her again. She moved up against him, laying her head in his chest as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Then ever so slowly he began to talk. He started by describing to her how he had been captured- his feet been beaten until he could barely feel them- and how a team of Navy Seals had come to his rescue just when he thought he couldn't hang on any longer. He told her that when Jared had heard about the rescue he'd decided then and there to go into the Navy.

From that, Booth moved on, haltingly revealing how his father's late-night drinking habits had brought out Frank Booth's violent streak. He told her how he would shield Jared from the worst of it, how the brothers had named it "eat the wall" to help separate themselves from the reality of it, and how- finally- he had stood up to his father and put an end to it.

Throughout his entire monologue, she said nothing. She moved closer when she felt he needed it, and did not break the silence when he struggled for words. Her body language told him that she was absorbing every word he said, though never once did he feel like he was overwhelming her. Telling her his family history had been harder than talking about being held captive, but when he came to the end he was glad that he had gotten it off of his chest.

Turning so that she could face him in the dark, she didn't break the silence that lay between them, but instead tilted her chin so that her lips brushed up against his own. Crashing down on them as if his life depended on it, he savored the taste of her mouth, stale coffee and all. One look in her eyes told him that she knew just how much of himself he had offered tonight, and that she thought no less of him for it.

A salty flavor became part of the kiss and she reached up to stroke away his tears as he had done for her so many times before. When they finally broke apart he held her, running her fingers through her soft hair and thanking God for sending her to him.

"Thank you," she said, breaking the silence she'd held for hours so softly he barely heard her.

He scrambled for the appropriate answer, thinking that he should be the one thanking her, when he realized that words were useless at that point. Instead, he nodded into her hair, placed one final kiss on her cheek, pulled her as close to him as was physically possible, and closed his eyes to sleep.


	12. Partners

While the man beside her slept soundly, Temperance did not. Her eyes were closed and her body motionless in his arms, but her mind was fully alert and assimilating all of the information she had been given.

The war story had not surprised her as she had suspected something similar since viewing his x-rays years before. The clinical side of her knew that the damage she had seen could not have come about by any means other than torture. As his wife, however, the thought was not a pleasant one and her first attempts at sleep were curtailed as the scenario played out in front of her over and over again. She did everything she could not to shudder physically.

The revelation of what his family life had truly been like was something else entirely. She had, for years, thought of Seeley Booth as someone who never struggled with self-esteem issues, or self-doubt as she did. Obviously she knew that no man was perfect, but he seemed to possess few, if any, flaws and that had helped her to be more open when sharing her past with him. She had also presumed that he had experienced a healthy childhood. His utopian vision of marriage and family seemed to suggest as much and he never led her to believe otherwise.

During their first hotel stay with the Lane children, he had implied that- like Joey- he had been physically abused as a child. He had also told her that his father drank before he went mute on the subject and held her as if the memories were overpowering him. At the time, she had not pressed him; in part because of the effect that just those three words had had on him, and also because she felt it was not her place to pry.

Tonight, however, she had pried. Not that his family life was the subject matter she expected him to bring up, but she had pried nonetheless. In some ways, a cowering Seeley who allowed himself to be thrown up against walls and beaten until he was black and blue seemed inconceivable. The well-muscled man who she was married to would never allow for such treatment- he could be just as dangerous as her father when crossed.

When she closed her eyes, however, she saw a young Seeley- the same age as Parker when she had first met him- shaking and fearful just as Joey had been when he'd dropped his plate of food, while a Booth-sized figure towered over him and beat him. Sleep fled far from her after that nightmare, and as soon as Booth turned over in his sleep and released his hold on her, she slipped out of the office bedroom and into the kitchen.

As a child, when she could not sleep, her mother had always offered her a cup of chamomile tea to calm her. She wondered as she turned the burner under the tea kettle on and found the box of tea that she had procured the other day at the store, if it was truly the tea, or simply her mother's presence that had calmed her. When it was done, she sat down, cup in hand, and decided to find out.

"You're still here," Seeley walked sleepily into the room several minutes later.

"You're awake," she replied.

"Sniper instinct, Bones," he explained easily, "I can tell when somebody enters or exits a room no matter how soundly I'm sleeping."

"I didn't mean to wake you," she apologized, standing up to face him.

"'S okay," he waved her off, drawing her into his arms in a gentle embrace, "That instinct saved my life enough times out there I don't mind that it still hangs around. It's my superpower," he grinned widely.

"I don't need a superhero, Seeley," she spoke softly against his chest, "You're fine just the way you are."

They stood together, holding one another in companionable silence.

"Why did you think I would not be here?" she asked, curious.

He expelled a long breath before answering, "Tonight, or last night, or whenever it was, was deep, Bones- deeper than we've ever gone before. It's not that I thought you couldn't handle it, or even that you didn't want to, but I hoped it at least wouldn't scare you off. Then I saw you weren't in the room, so I wondered…"

"I never thought of leaving," she said honestly, "In fact, I admire you for sharing as much as you did," she went on, "And I admire you because of who you've become in spite of your background. I just-" she faltered for a second and scrambled for words, "I couldn't sleep."

"Look," he pulled back slightly and took her hands in his, "Look at me, Temperance."

Slowly she did, and the warmth and understanding in his brown eyes nearly overwhelmed her.

"I'm not going to leave you," he spoke deliberately.

"I know," she responded half-heartedly.

"I mean it."

"I know."

He moved his body closer to hers so that their thighs were touching, "The longer we're together the closer we'll become. And closeness isn't some indicator that I'll eventually decide you're not worth it and walk away from you, okay?" she nodded and he cupped her face in the palm of his left hand tenderly.

And there it was: the root of the problem she'd been struggling with all night. It wasn't the beatings that he'd experienced as a soldier or a child, or even the disturbing images that plagued her dreams, but rather the intimacy she had felt deepen between them as he had opened up to her that had made her feel uneasy and off-balance. Because every time that she got _that_ close to someone and allowed herself to be _that_ vulnerable, they left. She met his eyes again, knowing that she would find the reassurance that she needed.

The kiss began chaste and deepened slowly. She could feel the controlled passion welling up inside of him and her body responded accordingly. With each kiss a small shred of doubt disintegrated until she finally realized that nothing short of death could cause him to separate himself from her. He scooped her up in his powerful arms and carried her back to their bed, where the passion intensified and was released.

"Mmm," he said afterward, "Early mornings really are our time, aren't they?"

"Told you," she said sleepily, curling up in his embrace and closing her eyes.

"Get some rest, Bones," he told her, stroking her hair and shifting so that they were both more comfortable, "I'll be here when you get up."

The next thing she knew, bright rays of sunlight were streaming in through the curtains and childish voices reached her ears through the closed door. Slowly, she sat up and stretched, wondering how much time remained before she had to take Parker and Maddie to the birthday party.

The door opened softly from the other side, revealing Seeley's smiling face.

"Hey, Lazy Bones," he grinned, "Good to see you're among the land of the living."

"I didn't die, Seeley," she rolled her eyes.

"The land of the conscious, then," he amended, "Either way, good morning."

He crossed the room and kissed her, hauling her to her feet in the process. His lips felt so soft and familiar she felt she could get lost in them.

"Mama!" a small voice called, just before Sadie attached herself to Temperance's leg.

"Good morning, little one," the couple broke apart as she bent down to pick up their littlest charge, "Did you sleep well?"

Sadie nodded happily and settled against her guardian's chest.

"This one at like a horse this morning," Seeley ruffled Sadie's hair, "Didn't you?"

"Food, Dada," Sadie smiled.

"I saved you some pancakes, by the way, Bones," he informed her, "Coffee's still warm too if you're interested."

"I think I'll need the whole pot this morning," she yawned sleepily as she began walking out of the room and toward the kitchen, "Especially if I'm to get the older children to their party on time."

"Change of plans there," he said, relieving her of Sadie as she prepared her breakfast, "I'll take them and you stay here with Joey and our Katie-girl."

He blew air on Sadie's stomach and the child dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"I have no problem going to the party," she told him between bites.

"Yeah," he nodded, "I know. But you need to be here for the interview at one so this makes more sense."

"I suppose it would be awkward if we ran into any delays," she nodded, "Have you informed the children?"

"Yup," he confirmed, pouring her a second mug of coffee, "They're getting ready now."

She glanced at the clock, noticing for the first time how late she had slept.

"You should go," she told him.

"I wanted to wait 'til you were up," he said softly, "And you needed your sleep."

"Thank you," she said sincerely, "And thank you for breakfast as well."

"Anytime," he said, kissing her forehead and putting Sadie back down on the floor, "And now I have two kids to chase down."

He sauntered off, bellowing for Maddie and Parker as he went. Sadie followed him to the kitchen's threshold, then stopped and headed back to Temperance instead.

"Shall we find your brother?" Temperance asked the little girl.

"Jo-Jo!" Sadie nodded enthusiastically.

The next several minutes were a flurry of activity as the older children left and the younger ones went out to bid them goodbye. After Sadie went down for her morning nap, Temperance and Joey sifted through the assortment of board games that came with the house. They ended up playing Candy Land- which Joey won. She also taught him how to play "Go Fish" using a deck of cards that they unearthed from the back of the game cabinet.

At noon she got a call from Seeley saying that lunch was included in the party and that he did not know exactly what time they would be home. Deciding to be a bit spontaneous since they would not have six people to feed, she spread a blanket out on the back lawn and the three of them ate lunch outside. This proved to be the perfect choice, as Joey was beginning to complain about not being invited to the party as well. No sooner had Joey and Sadie finished their meal than they took off for the play area, where they spent the next half-hour running back and forth from activity to activity.

At quarter of one, she decided it was time for their naps. Joey protested slightly, but she could tell he had expended enough energy to sleep for a long while. Sadie was nearly asleep in her arms by the time they reached the nursery, and Temperance quickly changed her and put her in her crib. By the time she closed the nursery door and entered the other room, Joey was already fast asleep in his bed. She gently took off his shoes and pulled the covers up around him, planting a soft kiss on his forehead before leaving.

She was back down in the kitchen with five minutes to spare so she poured herself some more coffee and booted up her laptop. At precisely one o'clock, the video conference window appeared and a link was established with the computer at the Jeffersonian.

"Dr. Brennan," Cam began, "This is Agent Natasha Quinn, DEA," she indicated a woman about Temperance's age seated in one of the conference room chairs, "Agent Quinn has been notified that Agent Zap's notebook was found during the course of your investigation and that, while you and Agent Booth are unavailable to meet in person, you would still like to question her about her late partner."

Temperance nodded her head in greeting and the other woman nodded back stiffly.

"I'll leave you two to it, then," Cam said, exiting the camera's viewing area and leaving the two women alone.

"Agent Quinn," Temperance started, putting on her most professional voice and taking a quick glance at Booth's notes beside her, "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

"Call me Tasha," the other women said curtly.

"Okay, Tasha, as Dr. Saroyan already stated, I have some questions for you concerning your partner, Agent Zap. First, were you aware that Agent Zap kept a coded diary during his undercover operation?"

"Dr. Brennan," Tasha ignored the question and asked one of her own instead, "Do you know what it's like to lose a partner?"

Temperance blinked, "As a matter of fact, I do," her voice softened and she suddenly recognized the hollow pain in Tasha's eyes, "Agent Booth was shot in an attempt to save my life last year and I was told when I reached the hospital that he was dead."

"Guess they were wrong," the other woman's lips quirked.

"Yes," she nodded slowly, "His death was faked in order for him to bring in a particular suspect. But I was not informed of the decision," her voice faltered at the memory.

"For how long?" Tasha's tone softened as well.

"Two weeks," Temperance managed, "Two long, hellish weeks."

A look of empathy crossed Tasha's stony face before she replied, "Please call him Paul."

Temperance nodded, equally empathetic, and the two began covering Seeley's list of questions. As it turned out, Tasha had been with Paul at the beginning of his investigation but had become ill with appendicitis just before he left for Maryland. She knew little of what had happened down there as a different cover had been provided for him and their contact was limited.

Halfway through their discussion, she felt Seeley enter the room, but he said nothing and allowed her to finish the interview alone. Tasha agreed to aid Hodgins in decoding the diary after Temperance assured her that the entomologist would be sensitive and discreet. Temperance thanked Tasha for her time and signed off, slumping back in her chair.

A strong pair of hands was there to catch her, massaging her neck and upper back tenderly.

"Do you believe their relationship was like ours?" she asked him.

"No, Bones," he said quietly, "That was a woman who is drowning in her guilt because she never got to tell the man she loved that she loved him," he spun the chair around so that they were facing one another and led her to her feet, "They were what we would've been a year ago if-"

She placed a finger on his lips not needed to live through his near-death experience twice in one day. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long moment. She breathed in the scent of his cologne mingled with his body wash and relaxed against him, allowing the beating of his heart to reassure her that he had recovered completely.

"You did a great job, Temperance," he said finally, "Just like I knew you would."

"Why didn't you join in when you arrived?" she wanted to know.

"You were doing just fine on your own," he explained.

"And?"

"And I knew that the last thing that girl needed was to be reminded that everything worked out okay for you in the end," he admitted, "Besides, I think you were the only person she would talk to right then."

"Do you think the diary will reveal anything?" she wondered out loud.

"I sure hope so," Seeley sighed, "'Cause we're stuck, otherwise."


	13. Mass

Saturday night, Booth and Bones had no trouble persuading the kids to go to bed early. It had been a long, busy morning for all of them and the kids had spent the afternoon in the pool once the conference call was over. Booth had been hoping for some alone time with his wife, but when he went into the office to see what she was up to he found her fast asleep. Setting the alarm clock early enough so that they wouldn't be late for Mass, Booth settled into bed beside his wife and fell asleep.

The next morning was chaotic. They fed the kids before sending them up to dress in their Sunday best. Joey, especially, complained about wearing one of the miniature suits that had been provided for him. Booth was just thankful that the boys had been given clip-on ties instead of the real thing. Bones had also complained, privately, about the conservative dresses that were in her closet, but he assured her that she still looked great and reminded her that it was only one day a week.

They made it to the church with little more than ten minutes to spare, but at least they had made it. Booth led them inside and found one remaining pew that had room enough for all of them. He sat on the far end, Joey, Maddie, and Parker sat down quietly. Bones was next to Parker and held Sadie on her lap.

As the introductory rites began, Booth kept glancing over at Bones trying to figure out how she was taking it all. She was at least trying to get all of the responses right. He was never so proud of his son when he saw Parker whispering to Bones, patiently things to her and telling her what to do next. She seemed grateful for the help and he noticed that she even bowed her head and closed her eyes when the time for silent prayer came.

Next came the Scripture readings. Joey made it through the first two before he began squirming in his seat. Sadie, meanwhile, was sound asleep in Bones' arms despite the reading going on around her. By the time the priest got to the homily, Booth had taken Joey on his lap and quietly promised him they would all stop for ice cream if he sat still. The message was thankfully short and the children who had not had their first Communion yet were dismissed to their own service before the Eucharist procession began.

Parker took Maddie and Joey's hands and together they followed the other children. Sadie remained asleep through all of the jostling that went on and a look passed between the couple that it would be best just to let her sleep. Booth did scoot closer to his wife, draping his arm so that it rested behind her on the back of the pew.

"Why didn't Parker stay?" Bones whispered softly as the bread and wine made their way down the aisle.

"He hasn't had his first Communion yet," Booth whispered back.

"I thought that typically took place around his age."

"It does," Booth arched his eyebrow, surprised that she knew that, "But 'Becca decided to wait until he turned eight. He's enrolled in a class back home."

The two quieted as the priest began to speak. They gave the appropriate response and stood up in preparation for the Eucharistic prayer. Booth helped coach Bones through the prayer, just as Parker had done. He was thankful that they had gotten in late and had to sit in the back of the sanctuary, as anyone watching them would have known this was her first service. The Sanctus acclamation was given and in front of them everyone knelt. Bones set Sadie on the pew, still sleeping, and knelt as well, mimicking Booth's actions.

For reasons he couldn't express, it felt good and right to have her kneeling beside him as the Consecration began. He stole another glance at her and noticed the skepticism parading across her face as the prayer went on, though he was proud of her for going along with the atmosphere and not speaking out. Finally, they rose and sang the doxology before sitting down again.

Now came the part of their undercover work that Booth was not wholly comfortable with. As the Kellers, a staunch Catholic family, Bones would be more than expected to take Communion, however her personal beliefs so completely went against everything that Communion stood for, Booth was not certain she should be taking it. They had bickered back and forth on the topic as they were getting dressed. Bones had no problem taking it as part of her role as Kelly Keller, while Booth did.

Communion was just about to get underway when Sadie woke up, letting out a wail that could wake the dead. Both Booths reddened as several pairs of eyes turned their way. Bones scooped up Sadie and beat a hasty retreat to the church foyer. Booth took Communion along with the rest of the congregation, slipping out as soon as the dismissal was given.

Bones was walking back and forth along the length of the foyer, stroking Sadie's hair and speaking to her soothingly.

"She okay?" Booth asked as he approached them.

"I believe so," Bones nodded, "It seems she was unsure of where we were or what was going on around us."

"Guess she solved the Communion problem for us, eh?" Booth teased quietly as people began filing out of the sanctuary.

"So it would seem," Bones returned wryly, "Do we need to pick the other children up?"

"Nah," Booth shook his head, "Parker knows what to do and where to meet."

No sooner had he spoken, then Parker, Maddie, and Joey came into view. They left the church and headed for the car as the older kids showed off the coloring pages they'd done during the children's service. As soon as they were out of the parking lot, Booth aimed the Highlander back toward the house. On the way home, they stopped and picked up a couple of frozen pizzas as well as a half-gallon of ice cream at the grocery store.

"Who wants sundaes?" Booth asked when lunch was over, pulling out the ice cream along with a jar of hot fudge he'd found in the cabinet.

Three hands shot up and Sadie smiled widely at the sight of the ice cream carton.

"Perhaps I should assist you so that you don't dish out such gargantuan portions," Bones said, taking the bowls down from the cabinet and taking possession of the scooper.

He thought back to the huge sundaes he always made for himself and Parker after a winning hockey game and grinned. He popped the hot fudge into the microwave for a few seconds, then drizzled it on as Bones scooped the ice cream. The kids ate their sundaes in relative silence, but there were smiles all around.

"Okay, troops," he announced when they had finished and loaded all of the dishes into the dishwasher, "Nap time."

A chorus of protests went up from Parker, Maddie, and Joey, but Booth quieted them with a wave of his hand.

"Hey," he told them, "These are the Sunday rules. Everyone needs a rest right now and everyone is going to get it. I don't mind if you older two just get in your beds and read, but we're all going to rest for the next couple of hours."

The older three trudged up the stairs in silent protest, but didn't complain out loud so Booth let it go. As a kid he had never understood why his parents had made he, Jared, Lizzy do the same thing after lunch on a Sunday afternoon, but now- having four kids of his own to care for- it wasn't too tough to figure out.

Sadie and Joey went down without complaint and Maddie did nothing but grab a book and snuggle under her covers. Booth was glad, since Joey was still sleeping in her room, and he gave her a small peck on the cheek before leaving the room. Parker still wasn't thrilled, but he obeyed quickly after Booth promised to play a Wii game with him when rest time was over.

"Do you think Maddie or Parker will truly nap?" Bones asked as they went into their own room to change out of their Sunday clothes.

"Probably not," Booth said, freeing himself of his jacket and tie, "But it's worth a shot and I don't know about you, but I could use the rest."

She nodded, stepping out of her dress and into a comfortable shirt and sweatpants, "It has been a long week."

"Huh," Booth grunted, sitting down on the bed, "That's the understatement of the year. Come on and take a load off, Bones," he patted the bed.

She looked at him confused, "What does that mean? And is it related in any way to dumping a load?"

He fell back on the bed and laughed aloud, praying he wasn't hurting her feelings in the process.

"No, Bones," he said with small tears of laughter in his eyes, "It means sit down- you know, 'take a load' off of your feet. 'Dumping a load' means you went number two."

"Number two what?" she asked, sounding even more confused, but joining him on the bed anyway, "And where do you learn these phrases exactly?" she shook her head, "There are times when I think we speak entirely separate languages."

Booth shrugged, changing into his own pair of sweatpants, "Picked them up at school, I guess. A guys' locker room will give you a whole education by itself."

"I can only imagine," she said drily, "Now, what does to 'dump a load' mean?"

He was hoping she'd forget about that, then remembered who he was talking to and decided to suck it up and get it over with. He muttered the answer under his breath, praying that she caught it so that he wouldn't have to repeat himself.

"Fascinating," was her response, "Though what 'number two' has to do with defe-"

He cut her off effectively with a kiss and gave her a look that told her to drop it for his sake. Fortunately she was better at interpreting his looks than his words, and he felt her relax into the kiss and enjoy herself. Several minutes later, they came up for air.

"This bed really is huge," he commented, "After the kids get up I'm gonna start moving things around."

"Don't hurt yourself, Seeley," she told him.

He gave her one of his charm smiles and she shook her head and rolled her eyes. She went over to one of the bookcases and took out a book to read before returning to the bed and getting under the covers. In turn, he grabbed a comic book from his nightstand and propped himself up on his pillow to read.

"Hey, Temperance," he said an hour later when she finally put her book down, "What'd you think of Mass this morning?"

She turned to him and looked at him for a long moment before replying, "It was… interesting."

"Interesting?"

"Yes," she nodded, "From an anthropological standpoint as well as my new position as your wife."

"You're gonna have to explain more than that," he told her.

"From an anthropological standpoint, I found the liturgical readings and congregational responses fascinating. Not that I believed all that was being said, but reading about a religion's historical roots and experiencing them firsthand are two entirely separate things. It also amazed me that for as many times as the words are repeated each Sunday, they were spoken for the most part very genuinely and without a sense of rote redundancy."

"Not all churches are like that," he said, "But that was a good one."

"As your wife, I enjoyed watching you take part in the service as well," she paused, as if searching for the right words, "You obviously held what was being said in high esteem and with great regard. After watching you perform all of the different recitations and actions that were expected of you, I could tell that religion for you encompasses a larger portion of your life than I ever gave you credit for."

"What do you mean, Bones?" he asked, moving closer to her and intertwining his legs with hers.

"Seeley," she said, without an iota of cynicism, "The priests' discourse on Biblical love from I Corinthians was nothing short of what you have shown to me over the past four years. I felt as if I understood exactly what he was talking about in terms of human relationships because _you_ have demonstrated how effective that type of selfless love truly is. I also found it to be a far more thorough definition of love that Angela, or anyone else for that matter, has ever given to me.

"In observing you I understood your conviction that I not participate in Communion, and indeed, I'd already determined to leave the sanctuary before Sadie woke up."

"You had?" he asked.

She nodded wordlessly and a wave of love toward her swept over him. If you had asked him what the homily was on he couldn't have answered because he'd been more focused on Joey sitting still for just a little bit longer. Also, his brain had logged it as something he'd heard about hundreds of times before so he'd tuned it out.

But now Bones, who had never shown anything but skepticism and cynicism toward his beliefs, had not only soaked in every word, but _agreed_ with what had been said. Oh, he could tell she still hadn't changed her mind on the God-aspect of things, but this was definitely a huge step for her.

"Thanks," he said simply, "And I love you."

"You're welcome," she smiled, "And I know."

She turned away from him and he opened his arms so that she could cuddle up against him. His arms closed around her, their fingers meshed, and he could feel the cool of her rings against his hand. Complete comfort and peace spread over him and he knew there was no one else in the world he would rather share his life with than her.

He kissed her silky, auburn hair, hugged her one last time, and fell fast asleep.


	14. A Busy Afternoon

**Glad you all enjoyed the last chapter so much. I'm not Catholic, so I was hoping I got everything right for Mass. I really have enjoyed all of your reviews.**

**Thanks,**

**Gum**

**BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB **

When Temperance awoke, she could hear that the rest of the household was awake as well. She rolled over, hoping perhaps to see Seeley, but instead of a large man, a small girl was curled up beside her, sleeping soundly.

The door opened quietly and Seeley came in.

"Oh good," he spoke softly, though obviously relieved, "She's in here," he indicated Sadie.

"Lost track of her?" Temperance teased.

"You wouldn't believe how big this house seems when you're looking for one little girl," he told her, "Especially since _somebody_ taught her how to go up and down the steps on her own."

"She needed to learn," she defended herself, "I certainly was not going to carry her when she's perfectly capable of doing it on her own."

"I know, Bones," he sat down on the end of the bed, "It was a good parent move- just made things a little more tricky, that's all. I'm glad you're teaching them stuff like that though."

"Why wouldn't I?" she questioned, incredulous.

"Well," Booth shrugged, "Some people wouldn't, you know, since we've only got them for a little bit. They'd just let them do whatever and leave the discipline for whoever takes them in permanently."

"Yes," she acknowledged thoughtfully, "I was in a few foster homes where that was the practiced philosophy," she looked over at Sadie, sleeping soundly through their conversation, "I found that a lack of rules leads to a host of confusion, and neither the foster parents nor the children were satisfied with the results.

"In the case of these children," she gestured to Sadie, "I feel that we're obligated to parent them as responsibly as we can until they pass from our care, especially given their young ages and the fact that we have a family of six to see to. Anarchy would inevitably erupt without set boundaries. You do the same thing every time you talk Joey through his anger, or assure Maddie that she is beautiful no matter what her peers at school tell her. We don't parent them because it is easy; we do it because it is necessary."

"And you doubt you would make a good mother," Booth smiled tenderly at her.

Sadie began to stir, bringing the discussion to an end.

"Dada!" she grinned, then turned to Temperance, "Mama!"

Sadie crawled over on the bed to where Temperance sat and stretched her arms out for a hug. They shared a long hug and Temperance kissed the baby's head as she held her, then wrinkled her nose.

"Why don't you go visit Dada?" she asked, winking at Seeley.

"Oh, no!" he shook his head, "I changed her while you were asleep so you get this one."

"Seeley," she frowned, "If the decision for whose turn it was to change diapers was based solely on turns taken, you would be responsible for changing every diaper on the weekends, as I change quite a lot while you are away at work."

"Fine," he grumbled, "But if it's as messy as I think it is I'll need your help."

She shrugged and nodded- after spending her professional career around rotting corpses, she had no problems dealing with an infant's urine and fecal matter. The only reason she'd protested was because it was fun to watch her husband squirm on the topic.

After Sadie was changed- it was only wet after all, so no backup was needed- they went downstairs.

"Seeley Ryan Booth," she exclaimed, "What in the world have you been doing down here?"

He tried a charm smile, which she returned with a glare, and he grinned sheepishly, "I told you I was moving things around today."

"And so you have," she couldn't believe the sight in front of her, "No wonder you lost track of Sa-Katie! The living room is overflowing with furniture from the office and it appears you have the bed frame dismantled as well."

"Seeley Booth doesn't mess around, Bones," he winked, "You should know that by now."

"Well Seeley Booth had better not injure himself in the process," she retorted, "Or Temperance Booth will make him sleep in the office anyway- alone- no matter what bed happens to be in there at the time."

"Are you a Booth now too, Mom?" Parker popped up from behind the maze of furniture in the living room.

She frowned for a minute, replaying her previous words in her mind.

"Of course she is, Bub," Seeley stepped in to her rescue, "She's been a Booth for almost a week now."

"Cool," Parker grinned before going back to his hiding spot.

"Thanks," Temperance whispered to Seeley.

He nodded and kissed her forehead.

"Alright troops," he addressed the children, who were scattered throughout the furniture, "Now that Mom's up it's time to get working upstairs."

"I dunno if we're big enough to move that bed," Joey said doubtfully.

"Right now," Seeley said, "You can hop on up there and take off all of the blankets and covers to start."

Three sets of feet took off pounding up the stairs, with Sadie not far behind. It took an hour and a half, but they were finally able to move the massive bed, box spring and bed frame from the master bedroom down to the office bedroom. It barely fit through the door, and took up most of the room once it was inside, but they found a way to position it so that the room was still aesthetically pleasing, and they were able to move more furniture back into the room than Temperance thought they would be able to.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent hauling the smaller bed and remaining furniture upstairs. With the king-size bed gone they had no space problems on that end, and Temperance was impressed with the speed and efficiency with which everything was accomplished. The older three children helped for a bit, though they grew bored quickly and decided they enjoyed playing with Sadie more.

This allowed the couple to move much quicker, and before long, they had finished. The master bedroom now held the smaller bed along with two of the bookshelves that had been in the office, and the office held the king-size bed. The computer, its desk, and most of the files also remained downstairs once they decided that it was a much more private location for the video conferencing than the master bedroom.

After the children had been fed and put to bed, she surveyed the master bedroom and had to admit that she would enjoy having the smaller bed here. Also, it helped for her to be able to separate their work life from their private life. She was also looking forward to being able to go right from the shower to the bed or vice versa. It had been inconvenient to wake up on a floor that did not have a shower, or any of her clothes stored there for that matter.

"Not a bad idea after all was it?" a cocky voice burst into her thoughts, "And I managed not to hurt myself, too if you didn't notice!"

"I did notice," she nodded approvingly, "Though you have acquired an odor over the past several hours."

"So help me clean up," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Only if we can use the bathtub," she stipulated, "I am in need of a long soak after aiding you in your endeavors this afternoon, and the last thing I want to do is be on my feet."

"As long as you don't have clothes on, I'm fine with whatever you want, Bones."

She drew the water while he poured in the bubble bath and stripped off his clothes.

"You don't waste any time do you?" she laughed.

"Nope," he grinned, testing the water with his foot before hopping in, "Though if you want to undress slowly you won't hear any complaints from me."

"Now why am I not surprised?" she teased, shedding her clothes as quickly as he had his and joining him in the water.

He pouted a little, but his smile returned as soon as she slid over to sit nearer to him, stretching her legs so that they rested across his thighs. For close to an hour they sat, sometimes talking, sometimes not, but more than anything just enjoying one another's company. After a long week and a busy weekend, it was good to just be together and relax.

Half-way through she moved to the other side of the tub and took his feet in her lap and began massaging them. For some reason, the mental image of his x-rays that she had seen so long ago had never faded, and she knew that his feet must been in pain after all of the work he had done today. At first he winced, as her deft hands moved strongly and surely along the pressure points she knew would relieve the pain, but one look in his eyes assured her that he trusted her, so she continued.

"That," he sighed, stepping out of the tub once she had finished, "Was amazing!"

"Your feet feel better?" she smiled, draining the water and stepping out to join him.

"I don't think they've felt this good in years," he told her, wrapping a large, soft towel around her, "Honestly, Bones, where did you learn how to do that?"

She shrugged as they moved into the bedroom, "I've seen the damage to your feet and simply applied pressure to the places that would best ease your pain."

"I feel like I could run a marathon," he was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet like a runner.

"I wouldn't recommend that," she frowned, "The treatment is only temporary and would wear off long before you finished a marathon."

He laughed softly and she realized that once again she had taken him too literally. He said nothing, though, and merely pulled on a pair of boxers and sat on the bed, motioning for her to join him.

"Mmm," he breathed contentedly when she was nestled up against him underneath the covers, "This is perfect, Temperance."

"What?" she asked, as she momentarily left the sanctuary of his arms to turn off the small light on her nightstand.

"Us," he said, "Right here, right now."

She still didn't understand his full meaning, but she got enough of it that she nodded and rested her head in the crook between his outstretched arm and his chest.

"Oh," he said suddenly, a bit louder than he probably meant to, "I forgot to tell you something."

She waited quietly, knowing that he'd tell her.

"I talked to Cullen and Watson and neither of them have a problem with me going into work a little bit later."

"I don't understand the significance," she said honestly, "Why would you want to go into work later?"

"It's only about fifteen or twenty minutes extra," he explained, "But it means I can drop the older kids off at school in the morning and have time to come back and switch cars and get to work on time. From the way you were talking I figured you could use one less trip to the school, and since there's no way I could help in the afternoon, I thought this would be better than nothing."

"You moved back your work schedule for me?" she asked, turning around to face him despite the darkness.

"Of course," he traced her jaw-line with his finger, "I'd do anything for you, Bones."

She nodded, still silently awed by his selflessness, and traced the scar just beyond his scapula that testified to the truth of his statement.

"Thank you, Seeley," she whispered, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Yawning, she turned over and settled down once again into his arms. Marriage, she decided, was not as confining as she had once thought. This afternoon she had named herself as "Temperance Booth" accidentally in front of someone other than Seeley and had felt momentarily confused, but also more comfortable with it than she would have thought possible. And she had felt extremely warmed by Seeley's comment that she was an official "Booth" now- and had been for a week.

No, she thought as she closed her eyes to sleep, marriage was not confining, in fact, it made her feel more contented- and more loved- than she had in years.


	15. Miserable Monday

Mondays, in Seeley Booth's opinion, should be banned from the face of the earth. No one liked them, everyone dreaded them, and they usually brought more bad news than good. Start a workweek on a Monday and it dragged; start it on any other day, even Tuesday, and it flew by. The only good thing that had ever happened to him on a Monday was getting married to Bones last week- and even that had come after a very stressful day. Case in point was the scene that he woke up to Monday morning.

First, he rolled over in bed for a morning snuggle and, he was hoping, maybe something a bit more to celebrate their one week anniversary, only to find that his wife was up already, the cold sheets telling him she had been up for quite some time. So he threw on his clothes for the day and headed downstairs, following the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

He had known from the open doors upstairs that the kids were already up, but as he drew closer to the kitchen and dining room he realized that all was not well. Parker was complaining in a loud voice about breakfast- oatmeal, apparently- and how he was not going to eat it. Booth heard Bones tell his son calmly that that was fine, however, he would not be getting anything else for breakfast if he did not eat what she had given him. Just before Booth entered the room, Parker exploded, yelling at Bones that she was not his real mom, nor would she ever be, so he didn't have to listen to her.

This set Booth on edge and he barged into the kitchen, interrupted his wife, and took his son by the shoulders, steering him into the spare room and closing the door. He then told the boy calmly, but in no uncertain tone, that what he had said was unacceptable. Bones was his step-mother, and would be long after they left this assignment and Parker needed to get used to that fact and start treating her with respect.

Parker, embarrassed from being pulled from the other room and chewed out, retorted angrily about the unfairness of his life and how he wished he was back with his mom in DC. He went on to list all of the things that he'd had to put up with- not the least of which was the fact that Bones made him do his homework every day as soon as he got home from school, where his mom let him play. The word "stupid" was repeated over and over again- especially when it came to the school and its dress code. Parker then listed every single instance in which Booth had ignored him, or favored one of the other kids over him.

At the beginning of the argument, Booth had set his jaw, ready to combat everything Parker was saying, but as the speech went on he had to stop and reconsider. What they were asking Parker to do was a lot. Sure it was hard on the Lane kids too, but they had come from a rough household, so to them this was paradise. Parker, meanwhile, had been ripped from his mother, his school, and his friends in one fell swoop, and this was the first time that father and son were living together for an extended period of time, not to mention he had a new step-mother to adjust to.

By the time Parker reached his accusations of favoritism, Booth felt defeated and smaller than Sadie. If he had been alone, he would've put a fist through the drywall, but as it was he just clenched his teeth, cursed himself inwardly for being a horrible dad, and told Parker that he could grab a Pop Tart if he wanted. Telling the boy as sternly as he could that he still had to apologize to Bones, they headed back out to the kitchen. Parker mumbled an apology in Bones' direction, grabbed his Pop Tart, and ran upstairs to get dressed for school.

Sagging against the kitchen island and badly in need of coffee, Booth looked up at his wife, expecting her to be grateful for his intervention.

"What was that?" she demanded, "I told him he couldn't have any breakfast if he didn't eat his oatmeal!"

"Look," he said wearily, taking a long drag from his mug and wishing it was something stronger, "He doesn't like oatmeal, so we shouldn't force it on him."

"He's part of this family and should be expected to adhere to the same rules as everyone else."

"He apologized," Booth insisted, "And besides, you should ease up on him- he's been through a lot the last week."

"As have I," she shot back, "As has everyone else, and yet you don't see them complaining or throwing temper tantrums at breakfast. And that was hardly an apology, by the way."

"You want me to have him write it in blood, Bones? I was just trying to help out here!"

"Well, I would have had the situation firmly in hand if you had not interrupted in the first place!"

"He's _my_ son," he spat, "What was I supposed to do? Just stay out of it?"

"Booth," she'd switched to his surname, showing her displeasure, "You are always acceding to his wishes and allowing him to do things that you would not tolerate from the others. They don't seem to have noticed yet, but eventually they will."

"Great," he threw up his hands in disgust and frustration, "Just great. You say that I'm treating him with favoritism and he says I'm favoring everybody else, including you," he looked at the clock and swore, "Look, I have to get the kids to school and then work, so I don't have time to hash this out. Just try and go easy on him and for Pete's sake let him play when he gets home from school before you make him do his homework."

"I-" she started and he cut her off.

"We don't have time for this, Bones," he told her, "Just do it and we'll figure all this out later."

"But I-" he was starting to get truly peeved, and turned on his heel and left before she could drag him into the argument again.

"Parker, Maddie, Joey," he bellowed louder than was necessary, "Front and center- let's go!"

The kids shuffled down the stairs and out the door toward the car.

Booth turned back to Bones, who was holding an oatmeal-drenched Sadie and glaring at him fiercely, "We'll talk," he promised, "Later."

A curt nod and stony silence was all he got in return, but he figured it was better than nothing.

Fifteen minutes later, Maddie, Joey, and a still-sulking Parker were safe at school and he was heading back to the house. Bones was in the bathroom when he arrived, still cleaning up Sadie, but one look at the clock told him that he didn't have time to re-open the argument.

"I've gotta get to work," he told her, popping his head in the bathroom quickly.

"Then go," she told him, her tone civil enough to fool Sadie.

He nodded, waved to Sadie, closed the door, left the house, and sped off. The drive down was fast and filled with curses he hadn't used since his Ranger days.

His black mood did not improve when he got to the office, only to be informed by Watson that the last of their Lusby leads had come up dry. The other man left Booth to himself as he had local work to do.

Feeling imprisoned by the office and frustrated by what was going on at home, Booth flicked on the computer and tried to get an update from the squints. As the thing took its blessed time to get started, he tried to think of someone there who could help him out. Nobody at the lab had kids, though, and he wasn't about to go calling Cullen for advice; or Sweets for that matter. If he could call people on the outside, he'd probably get Rebecca's input or maybe Lizzy since she knew what it was like to juggle more than one kid.

Cursing his limited options, his mind finally came up with the one person who both worked at the lab, and had kids. He was not over enthusiastic about it, but he had no choice, really. So as soon as he finished getting the "progress" report from Hodgins- who basically said they had gotten started decoding but hadn't found anything useful yet- Booth asked to speak to his father-in-law. With a raised eyebrow, Hodgins rounded up the other man, but said no more.

"Booth," Max greeted him with a wide smile, "Good to see you survived the first week."

"Not funny," Booth glowered, growing uncomfortable and hoping he was making the right choice.

"What happened?" the other man asked, all joking set aside.

Booth explained what had happened and how he had handled it and how his wife and son had each reacted. He told Max how frustrated he was at expecting Bones to be proud of him for standing up to her, and getting chewed out for his trouble. To his credit, Max nodded, but said nothing while Booth vented.

"Booth," Max said when he had finished, "Sounds like all three of you have a part in this mess, but to start, I think you're being played."

"By Bones?"

"No," Max laughed and shook his head, "I don't think she could play anyone even if she tried her best; though you know her better than me these days."

"Yeah," a small smile crossed his own face, "She doesn't have it in her," he let that fact sit in, then realized who Max was talking about, "Parker?"

"Now look," Max said, holding up his hand just as Booth felt his blood pressure shoot back up, "I'm talking to you dad-to-dad here- and not as Tempe's dad- and like I said, I see plenty of blame to go around so let's start with the most obvious. Parker's a smart kid in a tough spot, but it sounded like he knew exactly what buttons to push to make you do what he wanted.

"Do you remember when you were a kid," Max asked, "And you wanted to do something but your dad said no?"

Booth nodded slowly.

"I'll bet you anything that you went and asked your mom instead, didn't you?"

Booth grinned sheepishly, "Well, sure," his childhood had been different, but not _that_ different.

"That's exactly what Parker did this morning," Max grinned widely.

"And I fell for it," Booth shook his head, running his fingers through his hair, "Which means, I'm not a bad dad, just a sucker."

"Eh," Max waved it off, "Russ tried it on me and his mother plenty of times and we fell for it often enough until we caught onto him- and started talking with each other."

"Bones!" Booth cried miserably, his shoulders slumping, "I interrupted her while she was dealing with Parker, and then I left without hearing her out. She must hate me by now."

"Nah," Max shook his head, "She can take it. Bet you money she's ticked, but she'll get over it. The most important thing is that you two sit down and hash out some ground rules for what her role is in disciplining Parker. It sounded like this morning you told him that he had to respect her, but then you gave him what she said he couldn't have anyway and undercut her authority."

"This isn't easy," Booth said, sighing heavily, "Rebecca's been the one to handle most of the discipline stuff. I mean, I give him advice and help him out with school and t-ball and things like that, but nothing heavy. And the only time we spend this much time together is when we're on vacation."

"You have a blended family now, Son," Max said bluntly, "You're man enough for it and you've got a good wife by your side, you just need to work on communicating better between all three of you parents."

"I _need_ to talk to Rebecca and see what she does at home so that he can't say she lets him do things that we don't," he sighed again, "Which means we _need_ to wrap this blasted case up so that we can get back home!"

"You'll figure it out," Max reassured him, then looked off-camera, "Hey, look, I'd better head back, I've got some school kids coming through in about a half hour."

"Sure, Max," Booth said, "And, uh, thanks."

Max grinned from ear to ear, "You're doing the best you can with your family Booth, and that's all a man can do."

They said goodbye and cut the connection. Booth wondered if Bones would even answer if he called her right now, then realized that she would be picking Joey up from school. Deciding to wait until after lunch, he turned to his large stack of paperwork since he had nothing better to do.

About fifteen minutes into the paperwork, the secure office line rang. It was Charlie, who had spent the morning interviewing the rest of the people who had worked with Paul Zap. Apparently, it was well-known to everyone except for Zap's partner that the man enjoyed a little "excitement" in his life and had been a frequent visitor at one of the local strip clubs. Normally, Booth would have joked along with Charlie, but instead he felt sad for the man. Obviously there had been a perfectly good-looking, respectable woman who would have had Zap if he'd just taken the time to see what was right in front of his face.

Booth laughed at the appropriate places, took notes as Charlie went through the interviews, and asked the other Agent to send email him the transcripts as soon as they were available. Booth didn't see any real relevance to their case, but all their leads were dry so it couldn't hurt. Charlie promised to keep Booth in the loop as far as the FBI investigation went, and they hung up.

Bolting down his lunch, Booth steeled himself and opened up the video link to his wife.

"Hey," he said, taking it as a good sign that she'd opened the link on her end too, "I owe you a big apology."

She sat still, as if waiting for him to continue before she passed judgment one way or the other.

"Look, um, Parker, he, well, he played me real good today and you got the raw end of the deal," he tried not to rush his words, "I did tell him that he had to respect you and I told him that he needed to apologize, but you were right that I shouldn't have let him have the Pop Tart, and I'm sorry I cut you off and for interrupting you in the first place," he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "Will you forgive me?"

"Am I still allowed to be angry with you?" she asked, "Because I do not believe my anger can dissipate so quickly, though I do not plan on holding onto it forever."

"Yeah, Temperance," he smiled kindly at her honesty, "You can forgive me and still be mad at me."

"Then yes, Seeley," she said seriously, "I forgive you. Though I apologize myself if I overstepped my boundaries as a step-parent."

"We need to sit down and work on that together," he told her, "Because, honestly I'm not sure myself. For right now we can set up some rules for while we're undercover, then once we get back to DC you and Rebecca and I can get together and figure out how this is going to work from now on."

"That sounds acceptable," she nodded her head, and he could see the anger fading from her features, "I have another question, however."

"Shoot."

"I would be happy to 'shoot' if you would permit me to carry a gun," she smirked, "However, I will presume that you wished me to ask my question."

"Good presumption, there, Bones," he smiled.

"How much of a time window am I to give the older two children once they get home from school to play?" she proceeded as if the teasing had not taken place, "I have been giving them an hour and providing them with a small, nutritious snack, but it sounded this morning as if that was not enough."

"That's more than enough Bones," he shook his head, "That's what you were trying to tell me this morning, when I cut you off, wasn't it?"

She nodded her head and he swore softly.

"Look," he tried to explain, "Parker made it sound like you didn't give him any break at all and I believed him, so don't worry about it. You're doing just fine there and it's me who's got to start checking facts before I accuse people. I'm sorry, again."

"And I forgive you, again," she replied simply.

"Thanks," he replied, "So, when you pick him up, just do the same things you did all last week and if he gives you any grief, give me a call and I'll talk to him for you. I'll sit down with him tonight too and we'll have a man-to-man and let him know that things can't be what they were this morning."

It was her turn to thank him. She asked him how his day was going and he filled her in on the few things he had found out from Charlie. It turned out she had checked in with Hodgins too and had been given the same response.

"All of our leads have dried up down here," Booth told her, "So, I think I'm gonna knock out some more of this paperwork and aim to be home by five."

He saw the relief in her eyes and knew it was the right decision. Reluctantly, they said their goodbyes so that she could get everything done that she needed to before picking up Parker and Maddie. Breathing a huge sigh of relief as the link closed, Booth buried himself in his paperwork.

At four o'clock he left, stuffing the remainder of the work in his briefcase for later tonight. Right now it was time to go home and mend some more fences. Not to mention celebrate his one week anniversary with his wife.


	16. Making Amends

Temperance pulled warily up to the school to pick up Parker and Maddie. She had decided that she was no longer angry with Seeley, or with Parker, however they had both managed to hurt her, and it was hard to compartmentalize. Seeley had hurt her by not trusting her judgment enough when it came to disciplining his son, and by undermining her authority and allowing Parker to have the Pop Tart instead of eating his meal. She was thankful that he had called and apologized, but she hated that it had happened in the first place. It was their first real argument as a couple and she found she had not enjoyed the experience one bit.

Parker, on the other hand, had truly stung her with his comment about her not being his real mother. The two of them had always gotten along- long before she and Seeley had started dating- and never had he spoken to her with such intentional cruelty. It had never entered her mind that he would have problems accepting her as his step-mother. But then, she did not have a clear picture of what a step-mother was, nor had they had the time to discuss things with Rebecca before they left. She wondered, as they waited in the long line of vehicles, what Parker's demeanor would be this afternoon.

"Dr. Bones, Dr. Bones, guess what?" Maddie exclaimed, flinging the back door wide open as she and Parker piled in.

"What?"

"We're studying skeletons in our class this week!" the girl was nearly bursting with excitement, "We have to find two books about skeletons and read them and we have to make one too."

"An entire skeleton?" Temperance questioned, thinking that would be a lot to expect of a seven year old.

"Nope," Maddie shook her head, "Just the ones in our bone kits. Can you help us? Huh, Dr. Bones?"

"I would be happy to," she answered honestly.

She noticed that while Parker was quiet, he was no longer sulking, and seemed very thoughtful instead. When they got back to the house, Maddie and Joey took off, eager for their snack. As soon as Sadie was released from her car seat, she toddled off toward her siblings, the tinkling sound of her clear laughter filling the front yard. Parker meanwhile, hung back, making his way slowly up to the house.

"Do you need help with your bone kit as well?" Temperance approached him gently.

The boy nodded his head slowly, still refusing to make eye contact.

"It seems that perhaps Maddie wishes to put her together right away," Temperance kept talking with him despite his silence as they entered the house, "Perhaps I can help her now, and then you and I can work on yours after your dad gets home."

"Just the two of us?" he asked.

"If that's what you'd like."

"Uh huh," he looked at her for the first time, "Dr. Bones?"

"Yes, Parker."

"I'm-" he faltered then continued on, "I'm sorry for being so mean this morning," his head hung low and she could barely make out his next words, "I wasn't being a good friend."

"Parker," she led him to the couch and they sat down in the relative privacy of the living room while the other children ate their snack, "While I cannot condone your actions this morning, I can forgive you."

"You can?" he said, raising his head to meet her eyes again.

"I can and I will," she nodded.

"Oh, thank you, Dr. Bones!" he crushed her in a hug and held on for a long moment as she awkwardly stroked his back, "I'm really sorry."

"I forgive you," she repeated again, "And I love you very much."

"You do?" he pulled back, amazed, "I mean- I thought you just loved my dad, not me too."

"Sweetheart," she smiled, using her father's favorite moniker for her when she was upset, "Of course I love your dad. I love him very much in fact. However, I would have never agreed to marry him if I did not love you as well. You are a huge part of his family, and now a huge part of mine as well."

"Can I live with you guys when we get back to DC?" he asked eagerly.

"I'm not certain that will be possible," she shook her head, "However, whenever you are at our house you will be welcome."

"Thanks," he said sincerely, again engulfing her in a hug, "I'm glad my daddy asked you to be part of our family," he whispered in her ear, "You're a really good Booth."

Temperance's heart warmed at the compliment and she returned the hug with emotion, kissing the top of Parker's head just before they separated.

"Dr. Bones," he said, standing to his feet, "What condone mean?"

She laughed and stood to join him, "It means to overlook or ignore."

"Oh," he said, "Does that mean that it still was wrong what I did even though I said sorry?"

"Yes."

"Okay," he nodded, "That's fair, I guess, and thanks again for forgiving me."

Before she could respond he took off for the kitchen where his snack awaited. Temperance smiled, happy she had been able to settle things between she and Parker herself, and thinking that Seeley would approve of what had been said.

A couple of minutes later, Maddie appeared, still eager to get started on her bone kit. Parker, Joey, and Sadie headed outside to play while Maddie and Temperance sat at the back patio table, piecing together the cardboard skeleton. The anthropologist was disturbed at the number of inaccuracies in terms of measurement- especially the ratio of the tibia to the fibula- but she said nothing about it to Maddie as she guided the young girl through the project.

Seeley arrived just as they attached the last piece, and grinned when he saw what their project was. Maddie gave him a hug, showed him the completed skeleton, and ran off to join the others.

"Hey," Seeley smiled, "Now there's a science project you can do with them!"

"I doubt there are any second-grade projects that would be beyond the scope of my knowledge," she pointed out, "Or yours either. It's rather elementary."

"But admit it, _Bones_," he stressed the nickname, dangling the skeleton in front of her, "You enjoyed this one."

"Possibly," she admitted, "Though I believe I enjoyed my conversation with Parker earlier this afternoon even more."

"Really?" he arched an eyebrow.

"Yes," she said, "He apologized very humbly and I forgave him. He also told me that he was happy I am a part of your family now and that I am a very good Booth."

"Can't argue with him there," Seeley's gaze was tender and he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"I informed him that I loved him," she said, "Is that alright with you?"

"Temperance," he asked, "Why in the world would I have a problem with you loving my son?"

She shrugged, not sure why she thought he might be against it, but realizing that it was a silly thought.

"I also told him I would help him with his project once you were home and could watch the other children," she changed the subject, "He seemed to be most eager for that arrangement."

"Works for me," Seeley agreed, "And we'll get dinner ready while we're at it too, okay?"

"Thank you," she smiled, standing to call Parker.

Seeley stepped toward her and captured her in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Temperance," he told her again, "I should have trusted you to know how to deal with Parker this morning and I didn't. You're doing great with him- with all of them really."

"I forgive you," she said, feeling the last of her hurt fade as he rubbed her back and drew her closer to him.

He closed the gap between them for a long, lingering kiss that was eventually broken up by a chorus of "Ew!" from the children. Parker then asked if she was ready to help him. Seeley gave her a wink and mouthed the word "later" in her direction before calling the other kids in to help make dinner.

She and Parker worked on his skeleton, moving inside only when the sunlight began to fade. It felt good to move past their morning argument, and she marveled again at how many mannerisms Parker had acquired that were his father's. Maddie joined them after the skeleton was complete, and all three of them sat down to do the required reading together. There were only a few things from the books that Temperance had to correct, and the rest seemed sound. Maddie and Parker spent the rest of their time before dinner questioning her on different aspects of the skeletal system, as well as what she did in her job as a forensic anthropologist.

Dinner consisted of hamburgers for the five carnivores and a veggie burger for herself. Seeley had made thick, homemade fries and a salad to go along with the burgers. It was a much less stressful meal than the one this morning had been, as they all shared anecdotes from the day. By the end of the meal, laughter reverberated around the table and everyone was in high spirits. For dessert, Temperance proudly produced a batch of chocolate chip cookies that she had made while Joey was at school.

The rest of the evening progressed smoothly, and before she knew it, the children were bathed, read to, and in their beds for the night. Seeley grabbed the plate with the extra cookies while she handled the coffee, and together they headed into the newly arranged spare bedroom.

Sitting cross-legged on either side of the massive bed, they spread the files out between them and began comparing notes.

"I wonder if Candie used to be some sort of acrobat or performer," Temperance commented some time later, nibbling on a cookie.

They had been back and forth over the collected evidence and were still not coming up with any viable leads.

"What makes you say that?"

"Tonight when I was tucking Maddie in she commented that she was glad I had an important job and didn't just do tricks like her mother," Temperance explained, "She said something similar, if you will recall, our first night in the hotel with them. I suppose it's made me wonder what Candie did previously and if that is the link that we are missing in this case."

"Wait," Seeley said, his voice raising in a pitch that she associated with him beginning to form an answer, "Did Maddie tell you her mom _did_ tricks or _turned_ tricks?"

She frowned, "Well, turned, now that you mention it, which I thought was highly improper phrasing."

"Bones!" he shook his head the same way he did whenever she did not understand a pop culture reference, "_Doing_ tricks is for acrobats, _turning _tricks is a euphemism for what a prostitute does!"

"Didn't Charlie say that Paul Zap was known to frequent prostitutes?"

"Exactly," he crowed, "So, try this on for size: Paul hooks up at some point with Candie. Then maybe he's cheap or not as fun as she likes, so she decides to take off with some of his stuff."

"The diary!" she exclaimed, "Candie stole the diary from Zap and used it as her own, never realizing what was in it."

"She must've grabbed some dough from him too, since she picked up and started a new life in Lusby," Booth continued positing the scenario, "I wonder if she got the coke off of him too? She didn't seem like a user."

"Perhaps the cocaine had something to do with Zap's investigation," she suggested.

"Oh crap," Seeley said, slapping his forehead, "I bet whoever hunted down Zap did the same to Candie since she had the brick."

"Do you think they knew about the diary?" she asked.

"Possibly," he nodded, "Could be they had no clue about that, though. I mean, I doubt Zap went around flashing his secret, coded diary for just anyone to see."

"Yes, though I'm not convinced that the person who killed Zap and the Lanes killed Candie as well," Temperance thought back to the shattered skull.

"How come?" he asked, "I mean, maybe she just didn't have her own gun that they could kill her with."

"No," she recalled each of the fracture lines that ran along the skull as if she were looking right at it, "No, Seeley. The injuries to both the Lane grandparents and to Zap were impersonal," she pointed to the autopsy photographs that Cam had faxed them, "Candie's injuries were made by someone running just behind her, and with far too much rage to be an impersonal killer."

"A fist to the jaw and two blows to the head," he recalled, "She fought back, right?"

"Yes," she answered sadly, "The fractures on the phalanges would indicate that, though eventually she ran away."

"Back, left side?" he asked, as if trying to recall the exact details.

"As well as a glancing blow to the back of the skull and a hairline fracture along her jawbone," she filled in.

"Definitely more personal than the others," he concluded, "Good work, Bones."

She nodded her thanks and tried desperately to stifle a yawn before it escaped. She failed.

"Time for bed," there was no room for argument in his voice and the clock confirmed that it was eleven already, "We can chase down all of the details in the morning, but at least now we've got something to work with. I'm going to call Cullen first thing and see if I can stay here tomorrow and work with you instead of going into the office. Watson's done all he can do down there and I don't want us split up just when we're starting to get somewhere."

"Won't that look suspicious if someone is indeed tracking us down?" she asked as they turned off the lights and headed out to the kitchen to deposit their mugs and the remaining few cookies.

"Look, Bones," he said, "At some point we have to decide which is worse, the bad guy catching onto us, or the bad guy getting away. I think if they were onto us be now they'd have struck so my guess is that they're still on the hunt. I wanna nail these guys, Bones," he sat down on their bed heavily, "And the best way to do that is for us to take a whole day to work together. I'll go back in Wednesday, no complaints."

"Alright," she agreed, "I'm going to get ready for bed now."

She entered the bathroom and began her nightly routine that she had missed while they were sleeping in the spare room. Slowly, she washed away the thoughts and questions that bombarded her mind and put them aside for tomorrow. She hoped that Cullen would see things Seeley's way and allow them to work together. The video conferencing was better than simply using the phone, but it seemed they were both more intuitive when they worked together in person. Slipping into the nightgown she had brought in with her, she turned to reenter the bedroom.

The lights had been turned off save the ones on each of their nightstands, creating a softer atmosphere. Booth sat on the bed, a Cheshire grin on his face, and motioned for her to join him.

"Happy anniversary," he announced when she sat down beside him.

"One week?" she eyed him, "I wasn't aware that was a milestone worth acknowledging."

"It was a long week," he shrugged, "And besides, we gotta start somewhere."

"I suppose," she smiled, "And we _did_ survive our first true argument as a married couple."

"Yup," he grinned, "I'm looking forward to the make-up sex for that."

She rolled her eyes, "Do I need to suspect your motivations for apologizing?" she teased.

"No, Temperance," he said, "I'd never do that."

"I know," she assured him.

"Here," he produced a package from behind his back, "A little something I've been saving for today."

"I didn't get you anything in return," she told him.

"I wasn't expecting anything," he waved her off, "And you were actually supposed to have this before now anyway, it just got delayed until I could get it."

Intrigued, she opened the package and removed the two smaller boxes that were inside. She opened the longer of the two boxes to reveal a necklace with two silver dolphins holding a turquoise stone between them.

"Just like my ring," she breathed, looking down at the engagement ring on her finger and smiling.

"Open the other one," he said impatiently.

She did. Two small dolphin earrings, each with a minute stone lay before her and she beamed from ear to ear.

"Thank you," she said, laying the boxes aside to embrace him, "They match perfectly."

"I wanted to get the whole set when we were down the first time," he explained, opening the necklace's clasp and putting it on her, "But I only had enough for the ring and that was the important piece. I was so happy when we got here and they still had it."

He placed a tender kiss on the base of her neck and she turned for him to admire it.

"So you purchased them in this area?" she asked, removing the earrings she had been wearing and replacing them with her new ones.

"Solomon's Island," he nodded, "At one of the shops while you were in the little girl's room," he grinned, "Actually it was the receipt that gave me the link we were looking for back in DC."

"Good that you bought it then," she teased, "Otherwise who knows where you would be now?"

"Mmm," he said, his eyes inspecting the new jewelry, then roving to the cleavage presented by her low-cut nightgown, "Good thing indeed, Temperance. You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she said softly.

Quickly, she planted a kiss on his lips, then rose and walked over to her dresser to deposit the new jewelry in her jewelry box.

"Now," she said huskily, returning to the bed, "I am not familiar with the concept of make-up sex, so I will need a good teacher."

"Welcome back to Professor Seeley," he grinned, taking her into his arms and planting small kisses along her clavicle, "Class is now back in session."


	17. Connecting the Dots

Tuesday morning, in contrast to Monday, was much better as far as Booth was concerned. He woke up to the alarm clock with Bones still securely in his arms. She rolled over toward him, smiling sleepily as she leaned in for a kiss.

"'Morning," he smiled.

"Yes it is," she said matter-of-factly, "Shouldn't you call Cullen and Watson?"

"Yeah," he groaned, not looking forward to asking Cullen about staying home, "You okay with the kiddos?"

"I suppose," she grinned wryly, "Though I don't believe I'll be serving oatmeal this morning."

"Try it again sometime when I'm around," he suggested, "My mom used to put cinnamon sugar in with ours and we loved it."

"Adding sugar would take away from inherent nutritional value of the meal," she protested, as they moved into the bathroom.

"Not too much," he shook his head, stepping into the shower, "Besides," he grinned as she joined him, "They'll eat a lot more of it."

"Perhaps."

They showered, dressed, shared a quick kiss, and went their separate ways.

Booth went to phone Cullen using the secure line in the spare room, while Bones went to rouse the kids and feed them breakfast. Cullen agreed, reluctantly, but told Booth he needed to be back in the office tomorrow so that his cover would remain intact. Booth agreed and called Watson to let him know what the new plan was. Watson was more understanding than Cullen, but he had work to do locally too so it wasn't a big deal to him. The two men agreed to meet the next morning to go over any new developments.

Giggles and high-pitched chatter greeted him as he joined the rest for breakfast- the opposite of what he'd entered into yesterday. Bones had put out three boxes of cereal, two of which he knew for a fact she did not approve of. He winked at her and poured himself a large bowl of Cheerios with milk.

When everyone was done and getting dressed, Booth offered to take the kids to school again, giving Bones the time to clean and dress Sadie. She accepted with a grateful smile and he rounded up the kids and loaded them into the Highlander. The drive was lively and animated and in no time they were safely in their classrooms and he was on his way home.

It was a good feeling, he decided, when he pulled back in the driveway and knew he wouldn't have to go to work. They were right on the edge of something big- he could feel it- and the last thing he wanted to do was work without his partner. Wife or not Bones was the only person who he wanted by his side throughout the whole investigation and he never worked as well when she wasn't there to help- or question his thinking. This case especially seemed to be suffering because of that and it seemed the only time they made progress was when they worked together.

For the next half hour, he and Bones sat on the living room floor playing with Sadie. The little girl was very curious and he smiled as he watched bones interact with her and feed that curiosity. True, Bones spoke to Sadie as one adult would to another, but the one year old responded as if she understood everything, and Booth had to admit that her vocabulary had grown by leaps and bounds in the last week. Soon Sadie began rubbing her eyes and Bones announced it was time for her morning nap.

As he sat in the kitchen brewing a second pot of coffee and waiting for Bones to return from the nursery, he thought about the ramifications of what they were about to do today. Yes, he wanted to bring the killer or killers to justice, but that was tainted by the thought that once the bad guys were in jail, the kids would go back into foster care. It seemed a shame, especially since all three of the kids were now much more outgoing than they once had been and much less scared.

Booth knew from the little that his wife had shared about her time in the system that foster parents were hit and miss as to who really wanted you around and who was in it for the extra income. He knew that neither one of them wanted that for those kids- especially since the odds were high that they'd be broken up somewhere along the way. He could easily see someone wanting to adopt Sadie, and even Joey was young enough and well-mannered enough to attract a family. Maddie, on the other hand, was older and extremely introverted when she was not comfortable with the people around her.

Practically, however, Booth could see no way around it. True, he and Bones were married now and could easily apply for their adoption, but they were two highly career-minded people who basically used their homes for the bed at night and occasionally the kitchen. There were times he couldn't spend time with his own son because work had interrupted so he couldn't see making time for three others, and it seemed useless to adopt if they were just going to put them in the care of a babysitter anyway.

The fact that he and Bones had only been married a week also played into his thoughts. This was supposed to be the time for them to get to know one another as a married couple. The last week they had managed to set firm boundaries so that they could get time alone, but he wished some days that he could have her all to himself. He wondered if that was being selfish, but he also wondered if they didn't invest enough time in each other if they would simply fall apart and become strangers.

Money both was and was not a factor, he thought ruefully as he poured the coffee, moved to the spare room, and started sorting through the notes they had made last night. He sometimes forgot that he was married to a very rich woman, who could afford just about anything in life that she wanted. He knew that- should they choose to adopt the Lane kids- she would finance all of their needs. Heck, she'd probably even buy a house big enough to fit them all in. That, he knew, would solve the problem, but leave him feeling useless. Much as he might try and deny it at times, he was a traditionalist and did _not_ marry her for her money. He could support the two of them and Parker no problem. He could probably even buy them a decent house in the suburbs if that's what she wanted. But there was no way on God's green earth that he could afford a house for five during the week and six on the weekends and still keep food on the table. That was what he would want- no need- to do.

"Find something?" Bones asked, coming in and placing a hand gently on his shoulders.

"Nah," he shook his head, "Just thinking."

She looked at him for a long moment and seemed to be trying to decide whether to pry into his thoughts or not. Remembering his grand speech the other night about how open he would try and be with her from then on, he smiled gently.

"I'll fill you in on it later," he promised, "Right now, Bones, it's time to get on with the case."

"Right, Booth," she nodded, and he had to hide a smile as she switched into professional mode on him.

The computer finished booting up and a request for a video conference came almost immediately. Bones opened the link to find Hodgins on the other end. The bug man looked pleased with himself- almost like he used to when he and Zack would vie for "King of the Lab"- and Booth prayed that meant good news.

"Man," Hodgins started out, "That Zap guy was a piece of work."

Beside Booth, Bones frowned, "I sincerely hope you did not express that sentiment to Agent Quinn."

Hodgins shook his head and continued, "She's been great, but I'm telling you this guy was one paranoid dude- and you know that means something coming from me!"

"Explicate," Bones ordered and Booth could tell she was getting impatient.

"Okay," Hodgins shifted into explanation mode, "We managed to decode everything with Agent Quinn's help, but when we did, we found out that _that_ was in code too. She wasn't as familiar with it, but we managed and we're pretty sure we got everything. Problem is, he had code names for each of the people he talked about- sources, suspects, you name it."

"Were you able to glean anything useful?" Bones wanted to know.

"Basically what we knew already- that he was tracking down Red Mist to their source. Reading the later entries I'd say he was pretty close. He'd gathered evidence- though we're not sure what it was and where he put it. Plus, he'd zeroed in on one guy- though again, we don't know who or how high up he was ranked."

"We thing the evidence was the coke found with Candie's stuff. It seems weird, though, that he'd make double-coded notes and not list specifics somewhere," Booth observed.

"Yeah," Hodgins nodded, "Quinn said it wasn't like him. She'd seen the diary, of course, while she was with him so she knew what the earlier entries said, but from what we could pick out it seems like the case really picked up steam once Zap got to Maryland."

"Could the missing key explaining all of the code names been contained on the back four pages that are missing?" Bones asked suddenly.

"That's our best theory," Hodgins looked like Booth's bobble-head Bobby, "Quinn said he'd stored his key notes in the back of his other case diaries before, so it's not that big of a leap to think he did the same thing here."

"Would he have mailed them to her or something?" Booth asked.

"If he did she never got them," Hodgins replied, "And it's been a year so you'd think mail wouldn't get lost for _that_ long."

"What about Candie?" both squints looked at him like he'd suggested Elvis had been spotted, "Think about this: we know that the pages are missing, but what if Zap wasn't the one who took them out? What if it was Candie instead?"

"Why would Candie remove them?" Bones asked.

"Why did she use a diary that had already been written in?" he countered, "Look, I've read through her entries a few times now and a person with her background doesn't keep a diary. I think something freaked her out and she wanted to leave a part of her behind for her kids in case something happened to her-" Bones started to protest but he held up his hand, "I know you squints think we're talking two separate killers here, but when it comes down to her entries, it doesn't matter who killed her, just that she was scared she was gonna die."

"So what would she have done- hypothetically- with the missing pages?" Bones asked, stressing the hypothetical part as if she didn't fully buy into his theory.

"Wrote letters to the kids, maybe?" he threw out, "Or her parents? If she used the pages to write a letter or letters it'd make sense that she tore them out and mailed them."

"Then why didn't we find them when we searched the Lane house?" Bones was shaking her head.

"Maybe they'd already been taken," Hodgins piped up, "Think about it, G-man. What if the guy who killed Zap tracked down the grandparents and raided the house, found the missing papers on the backs of Zap's notes and took off?"

"Nice, Hodgins," Booth nodded, wondering what his partner was up to when she jumped up and dashed out of the room suddenly, "Killer knocks off Zap and trashes the apartment, but doesn't find the diary he knows Zap keeps. So he tracks down Candie somehow and either kills her too, or just snoops around her place- leaving the unidentified partials we found when we dusted her stuff. Who knows how he missed the diary and the coke, but something must've made him think she had it.

"From Candie, he goes to the grandparents, thinking maybe she sent it to them. Question is, how many pages did he find at the Lanes' and what's he up to now?"

"Two," came the hollow answer from behind him as Bones reentered the room, "And I would think it is logical he is tracking down the children as we speak."

She looked like she'd just found something big and she was clutching something in her hands.

"Maddie," she spoke, coming closer to him so that Hodgins could see her and holding up the papers that were in her hand, "I've seen her tuck them away just before I fully enter the room every night, but didn't think to connect them with the diary."

Booth took the papers from her and turned them over, then cursed under his breath, "This look familiar, Hodgins?" he asked, holding the papers coded-side toward the camera.

"Same code and handwriting," Hodgins confirmed, "I'd say you've got your kid connection."

Booth glared at Hodgins, turning to Bones whose face had gone ashen at the discovery.

"We'll scan these in and send them over to you," Booth told the other man, "These are labeled pages "3 of 4" and "4 of 4" so at least we know what the killer's got."

He left out the obvious fact that, being labeled so clearly, the killer knew there were more pages out there, and since the letter Booth was holding was addressed to Maddie, it was a sure bet the other ones were addressed to the other kids. A knowing look passed between the two men and Hodgins quickly made excuses about having to go and signed off.

Booth turned off the camera and the monitor and took his wife into his arms. Her face was still drawn, her body stiff, and her head shaking back and forth as she muttered to herself incoherently.

"Bones," he said softly and got no response, "Come on, Temperance, let me in," he spoke just barely over a whisper, "Let me know what you're thinking right now."

She looked up at him as if registering his presence for the first time. He stood up, taking her hands in his own and helping her to her feet. They moved haltingly over to the bed and he pulled her down between his legs, his back resting up against the headboard. She was still stunned, but he could tell she was slowly coming out of it, so he held her close until she was ready.

"All this time," she finally managed, "All this time and I never made the connection."

"Hey," he stroked her hair gently, "Neither did I, okay? There was no way we could've known."

"She's had them with her since we first took them from the Lane house," Bones said with certainty, "I never thought to question where they came from or what they might contain until just now."

"But you did it," he told her, "I didn't even know she had them but you did and you guessed right."

"An intuitive leap," she corrected him, "I don't guess."

He grinned, knowing that meant she was coming out of her stupor, "Either way, I think you just blew this thing wide open."

"I don't know what that means," she told him, "But I know I also confirmed that the danger we had theorized is real."

"Yeah," he nodded slowly, "Yeah it is real, but we're being as careful as we can, Bones."

"You should go to work!" she exclaimed suddenly, jumping out of his lap and hauling him to his feet along with herself, "You shouldn't be here, with me. We could have accomplished everything that we did this morning separately. It was foolish and selfish of us to try and work together."

"Hey," he took hold of her shoulders and drew her close to him, "I needed to be here this morning and we both know it," he looked at her until she acknowledged with her eyes that he was right, "People take sick days, Bones, or they work from home. I don't think one day is going to make somebody suspicious and if it does than it's a calculated risk that we had to take.

"I knew," he told her, "I knew that the danger was real before today. Too many things weren't adding up, and I _knew_. Cullen knew too, but he also trusted me when I told him that you and I work best side-by-side, not talking to each other over some stupid computer. We're the center, Bones."

"And the center must hold," she finished the phrase from so long ago.

That was the reminder she had needed and suddenly she stood up straight, her eyes going from blank to focused in a quarter of a second.

"So how do we proceed?" she asked.


	18. Heart to Heart

Brennan looked up expectantly at her husband. Her emotional equilibrium was back, however, she still wasn't certain what the next step to take was.

"We proceed," he smiled down at her, "With me picking up Jake while you go get Sadie and cuddle with her."

"No," she shook her head, "Sadie enjoys going to pick Jake up. We can all go if you would like, but she would be very displeased to have to stay home."

"Which 'she' are you talking about, Bones?" he teased, "You or Sadie?"

"Take your pick," she shrugged, "Going back to my original question, however; how do we proceed in terms of the case?"

"Well," he said, "We're scanning the pages for Hodgins right now. He'll probably get something from it but whether it will be enough is something else entirely. Next, I'm going to get on the horn to Charlie and tell him to sift through Candie's stuff with a fine-toothed comb and figure out who her pimp was. I'm also going to see if he can lean on the DEA guys to see if anything like that was in with Zap's stuff."

"Why would you use a horn to communicate with Charlie when we have a secure phone-line?" she asked as they emptied their mugs into the kitchen sink, "And what is the meaning of 'leaning' on someone?"

Seeley laughed, "Horn's another name for the phone, my dear Bones," he moved very close to her so that she was pinned up against the counter and dropped his voice, "And leaning on someone means you're gonna pressure them."

"And why are you leaning on me, Seeley?" she asked, his physical presence nearly overwhelming her.

"Because it's fun," his grin was feral and his voice husky, "Come on, Temperance- have some fun with me."

She was about to protest about the time, but he picked her up and set her on the counter with her back to the cabinets and moved in to kiss her. The kiss was long and deep and by the time they came up for air her legs were wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck, fingers woven through his hair.

"Apparently leaning can be a very persuasive means of getting one to comply with you," she said breathlessly, "Though I sincerely hope you don't mean for Charlie to do that," she grinned to let him know she was teasing.

He helped her down and they walked up the stairs to get Sadie. The young girl was already awake and was clearly thrilled to see that her "Dada" was still home. While Seeley changed Sadie, Temperance went back into Maddie's bedroom, put the letter back in its original hiding spot, and made sure the area looked undisturbed. Knowing all too well what having a last link to one's mother was like, she hoped to talk to Maddie later that night and coax the girl into giving the letter up voluntarily until they were done with it.

The next two hours were highly enjoyable. Jake clearly adored Seeley and the two spent their time before lunch throwing Jake's child-sized football around in the back yard. After lunch, they played several rounds of Uno with Jake- to help him learn his colors and numbers better- before the four year old started yawning and asked to be put to bed.

"You must have tired him out sufficiently," Temperance told Seeley once both of the younger children were down for their naps, "That is the first time he hasn't protested."

"Yup, but you know what's even better?"

"What?"

"He asked if we could move his bed back to his room so he can sleep there tonight," Seeley grinned.

"That's wonderful, Seeley," she smiled in return, "I suppose he finally feels secure here."

"Yeah, I think he does. Now, let's see if Hodgins has anything for us so we can all get out of this thing safely," he opened up the laptop and requested a conference with the Jeffersonian.

As it turned out, Hodgins and Quinn had determined that the pages that Maddie had in her possession only revealed some of the minor people involved in Zap's drug investigation, most of whom Quinn and the DEA were already aware of. Quinn had gone back to the DEA with the information, but Hodgins didn't think there was anything there that related to the case at the Jeffersonian.

Cam, on the other hand, had more interesting news for them.

"I was looking at Paul Zap's DNA profile this morning when something caught my eye. This," she pointed to an image on the display screen behind her, "Is Zap's profile, and this," another image appeared below the first one, "Is Sadie Lane's."

"They are father and daughter," Temperance observed.

"Yes," Cam nodded, "The kids' profiles that were taken when you went into Witness Protection just got back to me and it looked so familiar so I ran it and this is what came up."

"Explains why Candie stole from him," Seeley commented, "She was probably hitting him up for child support and he refused so she ripped him off."

"That seems logical," Temperance agreed, "Though there's no evidence to support it. Either way, it means that Sadie is now an orphan."

"Yeah," Seeley grimaced, "Cam, did you check and see if either of the other kids match him?"

"They don't," she shook her head, "But now that I've got everything I can run it through CODIS and see if we get any hits."

"Let me know what you find," Seeley told her.

The conversation quickly petered out and Cam promised to update them as soon as they had anything new. Seeley then called Charlie, and gave him orders as to what information Seeley wanted to be gleaned from the DEA concerning Zap's connection to Candie Lane. Seeley waggled his eyebrows at her as he told Charlie to lean on the other agency if necessary and she rolled her eyes, glad that he was on the phone and not using the video feed.

Noting that it was nearly time to pick up Parker and Maddie, she left Seeley to finish his work and went to wake Sadie and Joey. The news of Zap's death now meant something different than it had previously, and she could not help but give the little girl extra displays of affection as she went about their now-daily routine.

Seeley was still on the phone when she left, but was done by the time they all returned. They all worked together to prepare dinner, and when they were done, Seeley announced that tonight was family game night. Each of the three older children could select a game to play and the adults would choose one between the two of them. The only condition was that they game must be something that they could all participate in.

Joey picked first, and chose Candy Land, much to the complaint of the two older ones. Maddie went next, and chose a version of Life that was based on a Disney movie, which everyone enjoyed thoroughly. Parker chose to play Wii bowling and was shocked when Maddie defeated him by a wide margin. The adults chose Blitz. It took a few games for Joey to figure out the flow of the game, but once he did, he enjoyed it just as much as everyone else.

When the last game was finished, it was time for the children to go to bed. Parker helped Seeley move Joey's small bed back into Joey's bedroom while Temperance gave the four year old his bath. The two older ones took brief showers and were soon ready to be tucked in.

Temperance knocked on Maddie's door, not wanting to disturb her if she was dressing and was invited inside.

"What are you reading?" she asked, pointing to the letter that Maddie had just tucked away.

Maddie blushed, "Nothing."

"It must be something very precious to you for you to keep it so private," Temperance sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled.

"It's from my mom," Maddie confessed quietly.

"That _would_ be precious," Temperance nodded, "Do you miss your mother?"

Maddie shifted uncomfortably as if unsure how to answer the question, "Well, she wasn't around much, and she only wrote me one letter, but I love her anyway," she let out a long sigh, "She used to go away all of the time when I was little. But she would always come back, and now- well, now she can't. So I sorta miss her, but I also miss that she can't come back more."

Seeley had been right all along, Temperance realized. She and Maddie shared similar life experiences that helped them to connect on a deeper level.

"I know what that feels like," Temperance said finally, "My parents left when I was fifteen and I never saw my mother again. When I found her re- when I found out that she was dead, it was worse than when she had disappeared."

"Because she couldn't come back?" Maddie nodded in understanding.

"Yes."

"Did your mom write you a love letter before she died?" Maddie asked, drawing her own letter out of its hiding spot.

"No," Temperance answered, "But she filed a video for me so that I could watch it and remember her and know that she loved me."

"That's good, at least," Maddie said thoughtfully, "I like my letter, though, 'cause I can read it whenever I want and I know I'm touching something that my mom touched too," she paused, then made her decision, "Wanna see it?"

"I would be honored," Temperance said, and she meant it as well.

She took the letter from Maddie's outstretched hand and read it to herself. When they had used it earlier, she had not looked to see what was written on the pages to Maddie.

"There's stuff on the back," Maddie informed her as she was finishing the first page, "I'm not sure what it says, though."

Temperance finished reading Candie's writing and flipped the pages over to reveal the code.

"May I borrow this, Maddie?" she asked, "I believe my co-workers at the Jeffersonian can determine what the code says and it may help us find your mother's killer."

"I guess," Maddie said reluctantly.

"I could make you a copy downstairs to keep until we are finished with the original letter," Temperance offered, "We will return it to you as soon as we are done."

"Okay," she nodded, "I know you won't hurt it, Dr. Bones, 'cause you wouldn't hurt the video that your mom gave you."

"I will treat it very carefully and make sure it is not harmed," the scientist promised.

Maddie yawned, "I think I'm gonna go to sleep now, so you can give me the copy in the morning."

"Alright," Temperance pulled Maddie into an embrace and the girl kissed her on the cheek.

"'Night, Momma Bones," Maddie said quietly.

"Good night, Maddie," Temperance returned.

"Is Daddy gonna tuck me in too?" Maddie wanted to know as she slipped under the covers.

"I will make sure he does," Temperance smiled softly as she turned to exit the room.

She found Seeley in the hallway and one look between them told him he had heard everything that had just happened. He smiled at her, then walked through Maddie's doorway and proceeded to tuck Maddie in. As Temperance surveyed the hall, she noticed that Joey's light was off and his door closed, but Parker's was still on. She went in to give her step-son a hug goodnight and turned the light out as she left.

Turning into her own bedroom she sighed, weary from the long day as well as the emotional conversation that had just taken place. She decided that there was nothing left for them to accomplish as far as work was concerned tonight, so she set Maddie's letter gently on the top of her dresser and began to change into her sleepwear.

She had changed and was reading in bed when Seeley found her.

"You were amazing in there tonight, Bones," he said, stripping down to his boxer shorts and joining her.

She shrugged, "As you pointed out, we have many common experiences so it was extremely easy for me to be genuine and not forceful in my request."

"Easy to be genuine," he agreed, eyeing her closely, "But not easy for you to relive, Temperance."

That, she decided as she allowed herself to be pulled into his arms, was one of the best things about Seeley Booth; he took away her need to confess a weakness without condemning her for it. Her torso felt a momentary chill as he reached over and turned off the lights and she smiled contentedly when he returned to the embrace.

"Good night, Seeley," she spoke, moving deeper into his embrace.

"'Night, Bones," he returned.


	19. I miss you

Wednesday morning Booth awoke to the pressure of soft lips on his own.

"Morning, beautiful," he managed as her tongue slipped through his teeth.

"Good morning," Bones smiled, pulling back, "The alarm clock will be going off shortly, however I decided that you might enjoy waking up to something a bit more pleasant."

"Uh huh," he nodded in agreement, pulling her back down toward him, "This is definitely more pleasant," he kissed her again, "And less shrill."

"Implying that I am shrill in some way?" she teased, socking him lightly in the shoulder.

"Nope," he assured her, then covered her mouth with his own so that she couldn't talk back to him.

"We do have children in close proximity to our room," she reminded him, breathing heavily.

"Then I'll be _really _quiet," he grinned.

He was pretty sure that he heard her mutter about him being incorrigible, but he was too busy relieving her of her pajamas. One hour and several stifled gasps of pleasure later, they were showering together.

"I like this morning routine, Bones," he smiled, working her scented shampoo through her hair with his fingers.

"Yes," she agreed, "Though it certainly leaves one with a large appetite."

"Fortunately breakfast is right around the corner."

"I suppose," she shrugged.

"Hey," he shut off the water as they got out, "What's wrong, Bones?"

"I don't wish to sound selfish," she looked up into his eyes, "However, I enjoyed being with you all of yesterday and am not eager for you to go back to work."

He held out a towel to her and she stepped into it, allowing him to pull her close to him.

"I miss working with you too, Bones," he spoke softly into her ear, "So you're not the only selfish one."

"I'm ready to go home, Booth," she told him and he could tell she was holding back tears, "I want to be a forensic anthropologist again, and go back to my lab and our friends," she turned into him, resting her head on his chest as he stroked her hair, "I want to be your partner again."

"Hey," he soothed, "Look at me, Bones," he waited until she did, "You never stopped being my partner- not to me."

She nodded, and for some reason he felt like she was still holding something back from him.

"What is it, Temperance?" he asked gently, leading her to the bed and sitting her on top of his lap, "What's really bothering you? Is it something from last night still?"

She nodded her head and he wracked his brain for the answer, "Your mother?"

"No," she wasn't crying, but she was clinging to him and he could tell something was upsetting her.

"Then what?" he asked, "You're gonna have to give me a clue here."

"Talking with Maddie, finding out about Sadie's father, seeing how Joey follows you around and wishes to emulate you," she shook her head as if trying to clear it, "All of that has made me realize how much I've neglected my relationship with my own father."

"You're trying," he tried to encourage her.

"No, Seeley," she said softly, "You don't understand."

"Help me."

She stood up and began getting ready for the day so he followed suit, not wanting to pressure her too much.

"My father and I were exceptionally close when I was a child," she said finally, not looking at him, "We shared a love of science, and learning, and reading as well. That's not to say that my mother and I weren't close, but my father-" she looked like she was going to lose it if she talked much longer so he filled in the gaps.

"You were a daddy's girl," he smiled sadly, "And it hurt when he left and it hurt even more when he came back, even though you would've been devastated if it had been his remains that you'd found instead of your mom's."

"Yes," she nodded, slipping one of her chunky necklaces on, "And now realizing that I still have an opportunity to rebuild our relationship, it makes me wish all the more that this case was closed so that I could be in DC and begin that process."

"We'll get there soon," he promised, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and kissing her gently on the lips.

There was nothing more to be said so they left the room, surprised to see that all of the kid's doors were open, their rooms empty. Downstairs, they found the three older kids eating bowls of cereal, while Sadie was stuffing handfuls of Cheerios in her mouth.

"We figured you guys were tired or something," Parker explained, "So we decided to get breakfast ourselves. Maddie changed Sa-Katie too so don't worry."

Booth thanked his son, as he and Bones joined them. All too soon, it was time for him to take the kids to school. He kissed Bones and Sadie and loaded the rest of the gang into the car. He stopped in the house again when he got back, just to make sure that Bones would be alright before he headed for the office. She was much calmer and insisted that she would be fine. Besides, she reminded him, he had a very important job to accomplish. He told her to call if she needed anything and she agreed so he left.

The first part of Booth's morning was spent updating first Watson, then Cullen, on the latest case developments.

"Booth," Cullen said just before they hung up, "I'm sending a visitor to you on Friday. He's got information that I do not want discussed with _anyone_ outside of you and Dr. Brennan."

"Yes, sir," Booth wasn't sure what else he was supposed to say and Cullen was being purposefully vague.

"I'm taking a huge risk here, Booth, so I'm asking you to keep this tight to the vest. We're adding two more agents to your security detail and your visitor will be tracked from the time he leaves DC until he gets back so that we make sure he's not being followed."

"I understand," Booth said, even though he didn't fully.

Cullen told him that the man would be contacting him today with further details and the two men said goodbye and hung up. Booth didn't have long to wonder who it was they would be entertaining because it was nearly ten and time for Cam's morning meeting.

Booth smiled when the conference screen divided and his wife's face came into view. No one would ever guess what she'd been through that morning, and he wondered how many other times she'd simply put on a strong face and left her personal cares behind for the sake of her job.

The next hour was spent going over every piece of evidence from all three crime scenes to make sure they weren't missing anything crucial. There was nothing new to be found, though Booth promised to fill them in on what Charlie found out from the DEA. It was looking like finding the pimp was going to be the only way to make headway and he silently prayed that Charlie would come through for him.

At quarter after eleven, Bones excused herself to go pick up Joey from preschool. The meeting quickly dissolved, as Cam handed out assignments to the Squint Squad for the day.

"Just hang on a second, Booth," she said when he told her he should get going too.

Cam left the camera's viewing range and he heard the conference room door shut behind her.

"Hey, Booth," Max Keenan's smiling face popped onscreen, "How's my favorite son-in-law?"

"Fine," he looked at Max warily, wondering what this was about, "I'm sure Bones'll be bummed that she missed you."

A misty look came over the old con man's face for just a second, only to be replaced by his charm smile.

"I'm sure," he said, though he didn't sound sure, "Anyway, I just wanted to know if you two kissed and made up yet?"

Booth suddenly remembered what they had talked about the last time and relaxed, "Yeah, Max, we worked things out just fine."

"Good," the other man nodded, "She holding up okay?"

"Had a few bumps here and there but she's strong," he admitted, revealing just enough of the truth not to lie, but not so much that he felt like he was telling tales outside the bedroom.

"Yeah she is," Max agreed, a sad look in his eyes, "Look, I was wondering if your spare bedroom would be free for me this weekend?"

Booth tensed up again, scrambling for a way to say no without stepping on any toes, "Look, for one, we're undercover, so I'm pretty sure social visits are on the no-no list, and also-" he stopped just shy of telling Max about the visitor, remembering Cullen's warning to keep it secret.

"Booth," Max's face suddenly became very serious, "This isn't a social visit, and I've already cleared it with your boss."

"You're the visitor?" Booth said incredulously.

"Guess Cullen left that little factoid out?" Max grinned, "Though really, Booth you make it sound like I'm some sort of alien or something."

"When are you coming?" Booth blurted out.

"Friday morning," Max said, "Though not at the crack of dawn, I _do_ need my rest these days."

"Friday, right," Booth's mind was whirring, wondering why in the world Cullen was sending Max for a visit, not to mention what Bones would make of the whole deal, "And you're staying how long?"

"I should be out of your hair by Sunday if all goes well," Max replied.

Booth really didn't like the sound of that, but he nodded anyway, "I'll let Bones know tonight."

"Thanks," Max smiled.

The men exchanged a look, each conveying how similarly they felt for the forensic anthropologist, and exchanged goodbyes. Shutting down the video connection, Booth thought that maybe, just maybe, this visit would help them solve the case _and_ bring Max and Bones closer together.

Booth's afternoon consisted of catching up on paperwork and receiving occasional updates from Charlie. He could tell that the man was doing his best, but the case had been cold for a year and the DEA wasn't in a very sharing mood. Booth swore if they didn't cooperate soon, he'd sic the FBI's interdepartmental mediator on them. Ever since 9/11, agencies were expected to cooperate and there were people whose job it was to help make that happen.

He left right at five and called Bones to see how things were on the home front. She sounded tired, so he stepped on the gas a little harder and was home in thirty minutes. As he opened the door, the scent of spaghetti sauce was wafting through the air, mingled with garlic bread. Wading through all four kids- who apparently had been waiting for him- he finally made it to his wife.

"Smells good," he smiled, "Need any help."

She shook her head, "The children have already set the table-"

"Me and Parker made a salad!" Maddie cut in.

"I helped too," Joey put his hands on his hips.

"Too! Too!" Sadie jumped up and down, giggling and holding her arms out to Booth to be picked up, "Up Dada! Peas!"

"Well," he grinned, "Since you said please…"

He scooped her up and settled her on his left hip, then used his right hand to turn Bones back around to face him.

"What?" she said, exasperated.

"I didn't get to give you this," he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the lips.

He decided she must be stressed because she deepened it immediately and began pulling him toward her, regardless of Sadie's perch on his hip.

"Ew," came the chorus from the older three, causing the couple to break apart.

"Uh huh, I'll remember that when you guys are dating," Booth teased and gave Bones another quick peck on the lips.

"Kiss, Dada," Sadie said, her lips puckering and neck stretching out toward him.

He turned to give her one, and was shocked when the little girl put her lips on his and stuck her tongue out before kissing him.

"Guess we should keep it PG in front of the kids from now on, eh Bones?" he smirked, watching his wife's shoulders shake in laughter at the sight.

"That would seem prudent," she agreed, and he was happy to see a genuine smile on her face.

Booth herded the kids out of the room, giving Bones some peace and quiet while she finished dinner. Somehow, he got roped into being a horse for Sadie and Joey to ride on, while the older two led him around the living room and made sure the little ones didn't fall off of him.

Dinner was lively and full of chatter as the kids filled him in on what they'd done during the day. Parker and Maddie were anxious, because tomorrow they would get their bone projects back and find out how they'd done. Booth assured them that he was sure they'd done just fine- after all, they had one of the top bone experts in the world to help them with their homework.

This set off a discussion on different things that Bones had to study in school to get where she was and the different experiences that she'd had over the years. Booth grinned, recognizing that she was seriously editing some of the stories so that they would be kid-friendly. Parker and Joey wanted to know if she'd ever found any dinosaur bones, and she explained patiently that that was a job done by paleontologists, not anthropologists. The boys agreed that digging up dinosaurs sounded cooler, but Maddie scoffed at them, saying that paleontologists didn't get to solve murders and work with the FBI.

The kids spent the rest of the time before Sadie had to go to bed playing in the backyard. Maddie cut out some bone-shaped pieces of paper, and they all took turns hiding them in the sandbox and digging for bones. Bones commented that perhaps they should find an educational store and buy replica dinosaur bones. She doubted that they could find any accurate human remains and said she would see if Hodgins and Angela could devise something for them. Booth didn't doubt that they could.

Once Sadie was in bed, the older kids begged to watch a movie. They decided on the original _Star Wars_, which Maddie and Joey had never seen. Booth and the boys claimed one couch while the girls sat on the other. The kids all loved it, and even Bones seemed to enjoy herself. While Booth wasn't a fanatic like Sweets, he did like the movie and it was fun to watch with the kids.

Bedtime consisted of lightsabers, princesses, Jedi, and Parker going around breathing loudly like Darth Vader. Finally, everyone was safe and sound in their beds and the house grew quiet for the first time since Booth had gotten home.

"Is there any casework tonight?" Bones wanted to know as she dressed in her tank top and sweatpants.

"Nope," Booth shook his head, "Charlie should have something for us tomorrow, and if he doesn't I'm gonna go after the DEA myself. I get that they're not too thrilled about sharing info on an agent who hired prostitutes- especially since we know now that he fathered a kid as a result- but this pimp thing is looking more and more like it's our only shot at nailing whoever killed Zap and the Lane grandparents."

"I've never understood the stigma associated with prostitutes," Bones commented lightly, taking a book from her shelf and settling under the covers, "It seems like a double standard."

"Do I want to know?" he put on his own pair of sweatpants and an old FBI shirt and joined her.

She set her book down, "Only you could be the judge of that."

"Ok," he sighed dramatically, "Go ahead."

"Our culture right now is a very visually stimulated one," she started, "Things that would not have been allowed in the main-stream media now are and physical beauty has been set at a premium. In my view, prostitution is no more or less than a service being offered to men- or women- seeking to gratify their biological urges through sex," she held up a hand, "I am not saying that this is fulfilling by any means, however it _is_ a marketable product."

"No, Bones," he shook his head, "These women are selling their bodies. They are selling themselves short of their potential in life for something that's a temporary high at best. We weren't meant to live like that and no woman should be treated with respect, not like a product. You wouldn't want something like that for Maddie or Sadie, would you?"

"No," she seemed to think about it at least, "But the men who hire them are scorned more than those who employ masturbatory devices or who view pornographic material. I'm not saying that I agree with the practice, I simply do not understand the social judgment handed down to them- especially in regards to men."

"Well," Booth said, "The guy thing is kind of a double standard, but the difference I see is that some of the other stuff is fantasy, where hiring a prostitute is the real thing."

"Hmm," she said, "I shall have to think about that and see if I need to reevaluate my position."

"Yeah well," Booth decided this was as good a time for a segue as ever, "Right now I've got something else for you to think about."

"What's that?"

"Cullen is sending us a houseguest on Friday who he says has vital information to the case."

"Do you know who is coming?"

"It's," Booth braced himself, "Max."

"My father, Max?" her jaw dropped.

"One and the same."

"What information could my father possibly posses that could aid our investigation?"

"No clue," Booth shook his head, "Max and Cullen were super tight-lipped about this, and just so you know, this is considered highly classified."

"Did my father initiate the request or did Cullen?"

"Again, I don't know," he ran his fingers through his hair, "All I know is that Max'll be here around lunch on Friday and he's planning to leave Sunday, so I guess you'll get your chance to see him after all."

"This is not exactly how I planned it," she said, sounding nervous.

"Me neither, but it's what we're getting and there's not much we can do to stop it."

She was quiet for a moment, then announced she was tired and would have a lot to do tomorrow and turned off her light. Booth turned his off too and prayed fervently that whatever Max had to tell them, it would be worth it. He pulled Bones close and kissed her goodnight as they settled down to sleep.


	20. Father Knows Best

Temperance had never understood the phrase "passed like a blur" until she experienced it firsthand. Thursday, from her perspective at least, did just that. She woke up fifteen minutes later than she had planned, which put everything else behind schedule. Everything needed to be just right for her father's arrival the next day, despite Seeley's arguments to the contrary.

Before she knew it, the older kids were at school, Booth was at work, and she and Sadie were at the grocery store buying a few extra things for the next several days. She tried frantically to remember what foods her father liked and disliked. She knew that he was not fond of the beer that she kept at her apartment, so she picked up a case of the kind that he liked. Reasoning that he and Booth were similar in many aspects, she decided to serve macaroni and cheese on the night of his arrival. This would please both men, and from research she had done online that morning, children liked macaroni and cheese as well. She also picked up several thick steaks for her husband and father.

By the time she got back home, Joey needed to be picked up, so she put the perishable foods away, loaded Sadie back into her car seat, and headed for the school. Joey was extremely excitable on the drive home and she decided that both children could benefit from outdoor activity. They played in the backyard until lunch time, after which both children were ready for their naps.

From the moment she was child-free until it was time to pick Parker and Maddie up from school, Temperance cleaned the house from top to bottom, including the laundry that had been piling up. She hadn't truly done a thorough cleaning since they had moved in and she was appalled at the dirt and the grime that had built up in such as short time. She was also displeased to find that Maddie and Parker had not been keeping their rooms as tidy as she had expected. Their floors were clean, but she had found clothes strewn around the back side of Parker's bed as well as underneath it, and an avalanche of toys fell out of the closet in Maddie's room when she opened the closet to put something away.

After they were home from school and had their snack, she sent the two older ones up to their rooms immediately to clean up their messes. She had not been the one to make the mess, she explained, so she would not be the one cleaning it up. As they finished, she taught them how to use the vacuum to clean their carpets.

While Maddie and Parker were busy upstairs, Temperance, Sadie, and Joey were busy downstairs. She gave each of the younger children a cloth and showed them how to dust all of the surfaces that were at their level. The job was not perfectly done by any means, but it gave them a sense of purpose and allowed her to accomplish a few other tasks.

Seeley came home around six with an armful of takeout that she gladly accepted. He commented on how clean the house looked and she felt as if her goals had been met. Seeley and the older two cleaned up after dinner, allowing Temperance to sit down and rest for the first time that day. She was more than pleased when bedtime came and went without too much fussing.

When the house was quiet once more, she informed Seeley that she would be soaking in the tub and that, while he was more than welcome to join her, she was in need of relaxation and tranquility. He joined her about a half hour later and proceeded to knead away all of the tension and stress that she had been storing in her upper body. By the time she left the tub, she barely had enough strength left in her legs to stand and gladly accepted his help. Five minutes later her head hit the pillow and she was dead to the world.

Friday morning she awoke on time and everything seemed to move at a much more manageable pace than it had the day before. By the time she needed to pick Joey up from preschool, her father still had not arrived, so she left a note on her front door telling him where she was and that she would be back shortly. He still was not there when they got back.

She had just put Joey and Sadie down for their naps when he finally arrived, carrying only a small overnight bag.

"How are you?" he asked, embracing her tightly.

"I'm adapting," she told him honestly, "It has not always been easy, but I am learning from my mistakes."

Her father smiled, "Marriage and kids are never easy. But the dividends are well worth the effort."

"That has been my experience so far as well," she nodded, guiding him back to the spare room, "This will be your room. I apologize for the lack of space, but the bed is rather large."

"No kidding," he set his bag down on the bed, "You could land a small plane here! I'm surprised this isn't in the master bedroom."

"Well," she felt color rising in her cheeks, "It was, you see, however Seeley felt-"

"You know what," her father interrupted her with a smile, "There are some things a dad just doesn't want to know. How about you show me the rest of the house?"

"Will you tell me why you are here?"

"After Booth gets home," his face changed suddenly and he became very guarded, "Right now, I just want to spend some time with my girl."

Temperance smiled, recalling how many times throughout her childhood he has spoken that exact same phrase. She remembered that it had always made her feel secure and loved, and she truly hoped that one day she would feel that way about him again.

She gave him a tour of the house, as well as the backyard. He was impressed with the media room and the pool as she'd expected, and she assured him they could go swimming once the older children were home from school. They spent the rest of their free time playing Blitz and discussing anecdotes from her childhood. She was amazed at how much he reminded her of and she wondered if she had somehow blocked all of her good memories over the long years that she had spent without her family.

When Joey and Sadie awoke, they took to her father as if he had been a part of their lives all along. He instructed them to call him "Grandpa Max" and they obliged without question. As he did with Seeley, Joey gravitated to her father, eager to show the older man all of his toys and games. Upon seeing the cards that had been left out, Joey also told Max that he had just learned a new card game. Joey offered to teach Max how to play when they got back from picking up Parker and Maddie, and her father agreed as if he had never played the game before in his life.

Pickup went smoothly for once, and before long they were back home. Maddie was understandably shy around their visitor, but Parker assured her that Max was "cool" and that he knew all about science. This fact was underscored when Max produced the replica set of bones that Temperance had asked Hodgins to fabricate for her. Her father made sure to credit her with the idea, and the three older children began making plans as to what games they could play with the bones.

Before they became completely engrossed, however, her father invited them to go swimming with them. They accepted immediately and ran quickly upstairs to change into their swimwear. Five minutes later, they were all enjoying the pool. A small wading pool had been provided for Sadie, who enjoyed splashing water all over herself and anything that was near her. Seeley even joined them when he arrived home from work.

Satisfied that there was adequate adult supervision for Joey and Sadie to be kept safe, Temperance excused herself to prepare dinner. She decided that the patio would be a pleasant place to eat, so while the macaroni was cooking she proceeded to set the outdoor table before going back inside to finish the meal.

"Mmm," Seeley inhaled deeply as he, her father, and the children traipsed through the kitchen on their way in from the pool, "I know _that_ smell, Temperance!"

"Mac 'n' cheese!" Parker exclaimed gleefully, giving her a damp hug, "Thanks, Dr. Bones."

"You're welcome," she smiled, "Now all of you need to go get dressed. We're eating out on the patio tonight."

A cheer went up from the children followed by a stampede of footfalls as they raced up the stairs to change.

Dinner was pleasant and everyone enjoyed it much to the cook's satisfaction. She was even more satisfied when Seeley and her father offered to clean up the kitchen after they were done. The older three rushed off with their new set of bones and began burying them in the sandbox. Sadie was displeased that they were playing in what was normally her territory, but Temperance managed to distract her by swinging her in her swing.

One hour and four tired children later, the house was still and the adults gathered down in the media room to discuss their business as privately as possible.

"So why are you here, Dad?" Temperance curled her legs under her and got straight to the point.

She and Seeley were on one couch and her father the other one.

"Tact, Bones," her husband muttered into her ear.

She ignored him, flipped her hair behind her ears and fixed her father with a look so that he knew she meant business. This was her new family they were talking about and she was not in the mood for Max's con man games.

"Okay," Max cleared, "Last Saturday I decided to go to a bar I haven't been to in a while. This isn't one of your hoity-toity bars you kids go to these days, I'm talking a smoke-filled bar with seedy characters tucked away in every corner and a bartender who keeps a forty-five close at all times-"

"Why in the world would you choose to patronize that type of establishment?" she interrupted, "Are you contemplating rejoining the criminal element?"

"Bones," Seeley warned her, "Let the man talk or we'll be here all night."

"It's okay, Booth," Max nodded knowingly, "I've got to earn her trust back and that's fine," he turned to his daughter, "I wasn't in there to reconnect, it had just been a rough week and I needed some place to clear my head. Anyway, an old buddy of mine, Zane Graft, recognized me and we started talking. He was already pretty deep in his cups when he started telling me about this job he has to finish for his new bosses.

"Now, Zane was never a hit man when I knew him, but apparently it pays better than thievery right now. Anyway, he starts whining about how he can't track down his marks and the Feds keep pulling away from him at the last second every time he gets close. Then he starts asking me about you two specifically. Wanted to know if I'd heard of you or had any leads on where you might be.

"He's been looking for you guys since you took the kids out of foster care and he sounded like he was at the bottom of the barrel. I told him I'd get back to him in a couple of days and as soon as I got home I called Cam who called Cullen. Cullen said I needed to come down here and that you and I could come up with a plan to nab this guy. Even knowing who he is, your guys couldn't get a lock on his location so apparently I'm your only lead.

"I did get back in touch with Graft. Told him I was working on a lead I'd found through my new job and that I'd get back to him on Monday. We're meeting at the same bar and he didn't seem to suspect a thing so I'm pretty sure he'll buy whatever we sell him as long as it's good."

Temperance was fairly sure that her jaw dropped as her father's story unfolded and she assimilated what he was telling them. Despite her restraint from interrupting him any further, she had a sinking feeling they were still going to be up all night.


	21. Plans

It was midnight before they stopped and even later before Booth fell asleep. Even at the beginning of the assignment, being put into Witness Protection had felt like overkill. They'd been in danger before and managed just fine without it, and sure, the kids were in danger of being kidnapped while the grandparents were around, but it still seemed a bit much. Now, though, knowing that Graft had been stalking not only the kids, but Booth and Bones as well, he felt extremely thankful that the FBI and WPP had gone to all of the trouble that they had.

As Max had started his tale, Booth had initially felt uneasy. The killer might not have caught up with them yet, but he hadn't been too far off before they'd all gone into hiding. It also made him uneasy that they guy had been able to single out Special Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan as the primary investigators and switch his focus from the kids to them so quickly.

The unease had morphed into anger, and the anger into determination. Zane Graft had picked the wrong guy to mess with, and just before he fell asleep, Booth decided that it was time to nail the guy's carcass to the wall.

In the morning, Booth awoke, glad that it wasn't a weekday so he wouldn't have to cart the kids to school or come up with an excuse to stay home from the office. Bones had been nearly catatonic the night before after Max dropped his bombshell and Booth wanted to keep an eye on her today and make sure she was okay. Plus, they had a lot of planning to get done and while the office was private, this was something that he and Bones needed to hash out as a team- not from opposite ends of a video conference.

" 'Morning," he greeted his wife as her eyes fluttered open.

"Apparently."

"How ya doing?"

She rolled over toward him, her face thoughtful, though at least her eyes weren't vacant any more.

"Better than last night," she said finally.

"That's good," he smoothed her hair out and back from her eyes, "You seemed to take it pretty hard."

"I was stunned, Seeley," she began playing with his hand idly, "It is one thing to be told that you might possibly be in danger, it is another thing entirely to find out that you are in danger, and that you have had at least one very narrow escape. Not only that, but I still find my father's criminal past disturbing and to find that it is a former co-worker of his behind all of this makes me very ill at ease."

"We'll get him," Booth promised her, letting his eyes penetrate hers, "We know where he is and we know how to contact him, so it's only a matter of time."

"We should get up," she said suddenly, dropping his hand and moving out from under the covers, "My father and the children are no doubt awake by now and will be very hungry."

"Okay, Bones," he nodded, throwing on a t-shirt and sweatpants, "Let's go feed the troops."

He could tell that what she really wanted to do was get started on a plan for reeling Graft in, but if she didn't want to voice that right now, he wouldn't bring it up. Instead, he teased her about making herself presentable for breakfast. She shot back that she was not the only person to employ hair care products, therefore he had no place to speak. This made him wonder what his hair looked like first thing in the morning, but he strongly resisted looking in the mirror to find out.

When they got downstairs, they found that Max and the kids were up already and had started on breakfast. Max was merrily flipping pancakes and frying up sausage in a separate pan while the kids were consuming the pancakes as they came out. Joey was a sticky mess of syrup while Sadie had reduced her pancake to crumbs that were scattered all over the tray of her highchair, not to mention the floor. Maddie and Parker were sitting patiently, waiting for the next round to be done.

"'Morning," Max greeted the couple with a smile, "You two prefer blueberries or chocolate chips in your pancakes?"

"Blueberries," Bones said at the same time Booth said, "Chocolate chips."

"Some of each, coming up," Max grinned, amused.

Booth watched as his father-in-law expertly maneuvered the cooked pancakes onto a waiting plate, scooped the sausages onto the same plate, and then handed the whole thing to Parker. Max then turned back to his pans, put on more sausages, and ladled out more batter. True to his word, he put chocolate chips in half and blueberries in the other half.

"Help yourselves to the coffee," Max said, "But be warned I brew a strong cup."

Booth smirked, somehow he wouldn't have expected anything less of the man. Booth and Bones got their coffee- which woke Booth up just at the smell- and sat down at the table.

"I didn't know you knew how to cook pancakes so well," Bones admitted when they were all sitting around the table.

Max smiled, "Who do you think taught your mother?"

Bones arched an eyebrow as if she didn't believe him.

"Sweetie, when I met your mother she could cook about three things and that was it," the look on Max's face was nostalgic, "She nearly killed me the first year we were married, though by the time you kids came around she'd figured things out. I wasn't much better, but I could make a mean pancake, so I taught her how to too."

"Do you remember the 'b' pancakes?" Bones asked, as if desperate to contribute her own memory.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, "That was completely her idea though, and you guys loved it."

"They were good," Bones murmured.

"Yeah," Max said softly, "They were."

"Grandpa Max makes good pancakes too," Parker chimed in.

"Yes, he does," Bones agreed, "So what do you suppose we should tell him for preparing this delicious meal for us?"

A chorus of, "Thank you," went around the table, making the old man blush slightly.

The kids started suggesting a long list of things that they could all do after breakfast was over.

"Hold on a second guys," Booth held up his hand before they got too carried away, "Grandpa Max, Bones, and I have a lot to get done today. We can play for a little bit but once nap time comes around I expect you older ones to entertain yourselves too."

They decided it was still a little early in the morning to play outside so they went upstairs to Joey's room and set up the huge train set. The kids loved that all three adults got down on the floor to play with them, and they listened raptly as Max told them all about the transcontinental railroad while they played.

Everyone was so full from breakfast that lunch was light and took no time at all to get through. A half an hour later the little ones were yawning and nap time was announced. Filing up the stairs, dragging their feet the entire time, the four children trudged up to their rooms. Once the younger two were tucked in and the older two given stern warnings about coming out before they were called, Booth and Bones headed downstairs and once again met Max in the media room.

"Ya know," Booth said, sitting down on the couch and stretching his legs to their full length, "After last night, if somebody offered _me_ a nap right now, I'd take it in a heartbeat."

"If you'd like, you may go rest while my father and I work through the preliminary details," Bones offered kindly.

"Nah," Booth shook his head, pushing himself up, "I'll just go grab a cup of Max's liquid energy. You guys want anything?"

"Water please," Bones requested.

"Nothing for me," Max waved Booth off.

Booth left the room and came back with water, coffee, and a package of Oreos. Father and daughter arched identical left eyebrows at him.

"Hey," he shrugged, tossing out a charm smile, "It's comfort food."

"I thought macaroni and cheese was your comfort food?" Bones questioned.

"Well sure," he plopped back down on the couch beside her, handing her the water and putting the cookies between them, "But Oreos- you can't go wrong there, Bones."

"How does an artificially flavored cookie with an equally artificial center bring you comfort?" she wanted to know.

"It's chocolate, Bones," he grinned, "I thought you loved chocolate?"

"I enjoy chocolates that are made with actual cacao beans rather than a manufactured taste developed in a lab, yes," she was talking as if the world depended on her opinion being right and he couldn't help but goad her a little further.

"Jut try one, Bones," he picked a cookie up and waggled it underneath her nose, "Just one little Oreo and I swear you'll see what I mean."

"No," she pursed her lips and set her jaw.

"Come on," he teased, "You know you want to."

"Seeley," she was fighting back and smile and he could see she was close to cracking, "If you had any direct knowledge of what I knew, than you would know that I do not want that cookie!"

"Ah, but you only _think_ that you don't want it," he tapped her forehead playfully, "Where I _know_ that once you take and itty bitty bite, you'll be hooked."

"Why?" she shook her head, "Is there some hidden fishing lure in it?"

"Hooked, Bones," he threw his hands up in the air in mock disbelief, "It's a figure of speech. Just try it, you'll see what I mean."

"I don't want to try it."

"We've been over this before," he dragged the last word out and again dangled the cookie in front of her.

"Fine," she snatched it from his hand, "But only to prove to you that you are incorrect and to shut you up."

"Nothin' like keepin' it honest there, _Dear_," he muttered, grinning all the while as she first took one bite, then another, then finished the cookie off entirely.

"It's much better than I had anticipated," she said, "Though I would hardly call it comfort food."

She reached for another one.

"Hah! You do like 'em," he crowed loudly, "I knew you would. Now, admit that I was right."

"Booth," she shot him an exasperated look, though just the fact that she'd switched to his surname told him he was wearing her down.

"Come on, Bones," he said, whisking the cookies out of her reach, "Just four little words and you can have all the Oreos your heart desires."

"Booth."

"Well, that's one of them," he grinned, "Or Seeley, I'm not picky."

"Give me the cookies," she demanded, standing up and reaching for the package.

"Temper, temper, Temperance," he chided, standing up too so that he towered over her, "And those were not the four words."

She had just opened up her mouth and he was fairly sure she was going to tell him he had been right, when a fit of laughter erupted from the couch. The couple turned, cookies forgotten, to their guest, who was laughing so hard he was starting to gasp for air.

"Great, Seeley," she socked him hard in the solar plexus, causing him to nearly drop the cookies, "If my father dies as a result of this, it's your fault!"

"You two," Max wheezed, slowly catching his breath, "Are better than watching television."

They looked at Max, then at each other and shrugged, unsure of what he was talking about.

"Anyway," Max continued, "If we've settled the great Oreo debate, do you think we can get some plans down now?"

Both Booths reddened at that remark and sat down, cookies between them, like kids who had been called out on the carpet.

Booth could've sworn he heard Max mumble something about seeing why they'd switched beds, but what he said out loud was, "Actually, your little- whatever- did get me thinking about a way we could pull this off."

"You think the killer enjoys Oreo cookies?" Bones' brow furrowed and it both he and Max shared an amused look.

"No, Tempe," her dad said gently, "Lures. We've got to find a good enough lure to draw Zane out and reel him in."

"What are you thinking, Max?" Booth asked.

It took the rest of the afternoon, and several hours that night after the kids were back in bed to come up with a plan that they could all agree on.

"I'm still not certain this is the correct course of action," Bones told him later that night as they lay in bed.

"We don't have much choice," he told her, "And this way there is no risk to you or the kids."

"I'm not worried about myself or the children, Seeley," she turned to face him and he could see the hint of fear in her eyes, even in the dark, "We have a 24-hour guard around the house, not to mention the security fence that would alert us of any unauthorized presence long before it reached the house. You are the one willfully putting yourself in a dangerous situation."

"There are some risks you have to take," he said, framing her face with his fingers, "It comes with the whole Special Agent territory."

"I wish it didn't," she said softly.

"I'll be fine," he promised.

"You'd better be," her emotions were running high, and the lack of sleep from the night before was catching up to her, "I swear, Seeley Booth, if I have to hear another doctor tell me you're de-"

"Shh," he soothed, before she could finish and get herself even more worked up, "Shh. Come here, Bones."

He gathered her into his arms and held her, letting his solid presence and his soft nonsense words ease away her fears.

"I love you," he told her, resting his forehead up against hers, "You know that, right?"

She nodded wordlessly.

"If we don't do this, Bones," he said quietly, "If we don't take the necessary, calculated risks to catch this guy, then he wins, and we live on edge and unsure of our safety for the rest of our lives. We also run the risk of him cutting down everyone in his way that he thinks will lead him to us, including your dad if he ever makes the connection. We can't let that happen, Temperance, we can't."

"I know," she sighed wearily, moving her head to lay on his chest, "I simply don't like it."

"Me neither," he held her tightly to him, rubbing her back as he spoke, "Me neither."

It would be another hour before either of them got to sleep.


	22. A Start

When Temperance awoke she found that she was alone, and that once again, she had overslept for Mass. A note was waiting for her on their bathroom mirror, telling her that Seeley figured after all that they had been through in the past few days she deserved to sleep in. She found that she was grateful for his thoughtfulness, and enjoyed a long, luxurious shower before going to find some breakfast.

The rich scent of coffee was in the air as she neared the kitchen, and again she smiled at Seeley's attentiveness. The smile turned to a frown when she heard a noise that was distinctly human. Readying herself for a fight, she entered the doorway.

"Guess I'm not the only one who slept in," her father's warm smile greeted her as she felt her body's defenses relax at the sight of a familiar face.

"It would appear not," she smiled back, taking the cup of coffee he proffered.

Max got up from the barstool he had been sitting at and began fixing her breakfast just as he had done when she was a girl. She smiled at his offering, and took it gratefully.

"Parker refused to eat this when I served it earlier in the week," she told him over their bowls of oatmeal.

Her father grinned wryly at her, "So did you the first time your mother gave it to you."

"Really?" she searched her memory, but did not recall that fact.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, "You were about four at the time, and you hemmed and hollered and carried on about how you were never going to eat it and we couldn't make you."

"Obviously I changed my mind," she pointed out.

"We waited a few months before we tried again and by then you loved it," he went on, "Of course it helped that we added cinnamon and sugar that time too."

She smiled behind her spoonful, remembering that that had been Seeley's suggestion as well.

"Over time you came to love the stuff, so we started cutting back how much sugar we put in until finally we didn't put any in at all and you didn't know the difference."

"Clever," she said, "Though I still do not remember that happening."

They sat in silence across from one another and finished their oatmeal. It wasn't an awkward silence, but at the same time she was unsure of what to talk with him about. And that in itself was awkward because that had not been the case during her growing up years. In fact, she remembered a few breakfast discussions of theirs that had gone on so long that he had driven her to school so that they could finish.

"I remember the small kitchen," she told him as they sat nursing their coffees.

Her father's laughter echoed through the kitchen and she could tell he knew what she was referring to.

"It's not that funny," she scolded him teasingly, "In elementary school I told everyone that we had the smallest kitchen in the world because you and Mom were always bumping into each other in it and complaining about how small it was," this made Max laugh even harder, "How was I supposed to know it was a form of flirtatious behavior that had been edited so as to be suitable for children?"

"Your mother started doing that about six months after we started dating," he said with a smile, "Of course the first time really _was_ accidental, but after that it became a game. Once you kids came along it was a fun excuse to flirt without you two being suspicious. Though we never thought you would take us so literally."

"It especially confused me after we remodeled and extended the kitchen," she admitted, "That was when Russ told me what 'small kitchen' really meant."

"After he teased you mercilessly, of course," her father said knowingly.

"Interpreting social cues has never been a strong suit of mine," she shook her head, "I'm fairly sure that Seeley flirted with me several times without me realizing it."

"He definitely eyed you up for the longest time."

"Dad!"

"Honey," Max smiled, "For as long as I've known the man, he's had it bad for you, and from what Angela tells me, that was true long before that too."

"Angela is prone to hyperbole," she muttered, "I believe she encouraged me to 'jump him' within the first week that we began working together as partners."

"She was being your friend," he told her, "Booth is a good man."

"Yes," she nodded, "He is."

"I mean it, Tempe," Max covered her hand with his, "Booth is the kind of guy that dads like me dream their daughters will marry. He's polite, respectful, and he takes care of you the way I wish I had."

She opened her mouth to comment, but he shook his head.

"If I could take back all of those years and spend them with you, I would," he told her, "Do you believe that?"

She nodded her head.

"Good," he sagged back against the stool and released her hand, "I love you, Temperance."

"I love you too, Dad," and she realized that she did, and that a little bit of the hurt and mistrust that lay between them had dissipated.

They spent the rest of the morning moving from one inane topic to the next. It pleased her to know end when he complimented her on how well she was performing as a wife and a mother, as well as the cleanliness of the house. She, in turn, thanked him for putting himself at risk by delivering the news he had discovered to them in person, as well as the role he had agreed to play in the upcoming deception.

Around eleven thirty, they began working side-by-side making homemade pizza for lunch. It was one more link from their past, and once more she sensed that the gap between them was finally beginning to narrow.

Right as the last pizza was coming out of the oven, the Highlander pulled into the driveway and children began spilling into the house, each eager to fill Temperance and her father in on their morning at Mass. Sadie, of course, toddled right into her arms and refused to let go. The children were excited at the sight of the pizza and she could tell her husband was inwardly salivating as well.

After lunch, Joey and Sadie went up to their rooms for their naps. Seeley told the older children that they could stay up, but they needed to find quiet activities to occupy themselves with. The couple was debating what to do during their own free time, when her father interrupted them, insisting that what they really needed to do was leave the kids with him and go out on a date.

It took a good deal of convincing as they were hesitant to leave the children alone, but her father pointed out that they needed a chance to reconnect as a couple and this was the perfect opportunity. After informing Parker and Maddie of their plans, and exchanging cell phone information with her father, they set off in Seeley's car.

"So where are we headed tonight, Bones?" Seeley asked as they drove down their street.

"Solomon's Island?" she suggested.

"Works for me," he guided the car in what by now must have been a familiar direction.

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked suddenly, "I mean, I know you work in the area now, so if you would rather go to a more unique location I would be more than happy to accommodate you."

"Nah," he shook his head with a smile, "I haven't really been down there since I bought you the necklace and earrings, and we had a good time the last time we were there together. Besides, I think there are a couple of jewelers across the bridge if you wanted to check them out."

"'Across the bridge'?" she questioned, unfamiliar with the phrase, "And truly, Seeley, I don't need any more jewelry."

"Sorry, 'across the bridge' is what the locals say when they're talking about St. Mary's County- you know, the big bridge we crossed to get to the restaurants," she nodded her head and he continued, "Anyway, I was thinking this would be a good idea to look at wedding rings. If all this goes down the way we want it to we won't be wearing the fake ones for much longer."

"I suppose I'd forgotten they are borrowed," she fingered her rings, "Did you have anything specific in mind?"

He shrugged, "I thought a platinum one would go well with your engagement ring, though I'm more of a traditional gold band guy myself."

"Is there a reason we could not purchase both?" she asked.

"Well, they do come in sets, you know, Bones?"

"I'd heard, that, yes," she nodded, "But there is no law prohibiting the buying of two separate rings that I am aware of. It makes perfect sense to buy a ring to match my engagement ring; however, I see no reason for you not to buy a traditional gold band if that's what you are the most comfortable with."

"Guess not," he laughed gently, "So to the jewelers?"

"To the jewelers."

The first jewelers that they stopped at did not have anything close to what they were looking for. Seeley had been unimpressed with their selection of platinum rings and insisted that if he was going to spend the money, then they were going to get rings that they liked. The second jewelers, on the other hand, had a wider selection, and each of them picked out rings that they felt both fit and looked best. It was interesting to watch Seeley explain to the sales woman why two people who were already married needed new wedding bands, but the woman seemed to accept his story at face value- especially after he flashed her a charm smile.

Satisfied with their purchases and tired of being indoors, they drove back over the bridge and parked at the same spot they had the first time they'd been to Solomon's Island.

"Why don't we try them on?" Seeley suggested, producing the rings, "Just for tonight."

She nodded, slipping her borrowed ring off. Seeley took her hand tenderly in his and slid the new ring- _her _ring- on to rest beside her engagement ring. The unornamented platinum band complimented the silver dolphins as if they had been meant for each other and she smiled warmly up at her husband.

Returning the gesture, she took his left hand in hers, using her right hand to remove the borrowed platinum ring and replace it with his gold one. She had to admit, the gold suited him much better than the platinum had. Impulsively, she kissed the new ring, and his finger beneath it. He gently drew his hand out of hers, cupped her face, and kissed her.

It was a soft, gentle kiss, but one that spoke volumes of the feelings that they shared for one another.

"Ready to get some exercise?" he asked softly as they broke apart.

"Yes."

They exited the Astin, joined hands, and headed for the boardwalk and the small stretch of beach that they had discovered they last time they had been down. It was only about a five minute walk and she was happy to see that the beach was relatively empty. Seeley selected a place for them to sit and pulled her to sit between his outstretched legs. She complied, leaning back against his chest for support.

"This is nice," she commented, after they had been sitting in companionable silence for several minutes.

"Yeah," he nodded, "Good ol' Max knew what he was talking about after all."

She turned her body around so that she could face him, "We talked this morning- my father and I."

"How'd that go?"

"It started off as a simple exchange of anecdotes," she told him, "But by the end I sensed less tension between us, so that was encouraging."

"You'll get there," he said encouragingly, "Just give it time and let it be natural."

"Seeley-" she halted, wondering whether the question would be too personal or not, then deciding to ask it anyway, "Do you ever wish that you had- that you could do the same thing with your father?"

He expelled a long breath and she was afraid she'd spoken out of turn, but then he lifted his eyes to meet her and nodded, "Yeah, I guess," he ran his fingers through his hair and looked over at the setting sun, "Difference is that you always knew that your dad loved you where me- well, there were moments where I thought he did in between years of thinking that he didn't."

"I'm sorry," she said, reaching out to take his hand.

"It was a good question," he assured her, "Do you mind if I ask you one?"

She shook her head and their eyes connected once again.

"What comes next?" he asked, "After the case, I mean."

"The simple response would be that we go home," she answered, "Though I presume you are referring to something specific."

"Yeah," he nodded, "That's what I was thinking about the other day when you asked me. There are going to be so many decisions to make once we wrap this case, it makes my head spin."

"Such as?"

"Such as where is 'home' once we're done here? Is it your place? My place? A brand new place altogether?"

"To be honest, I'd never fully considered that."

"And if we do get a new place," Seeley continued as they stood and began walking again, "Where do we live and who pays for it? I'll be the first to admit, Bones, that I want a stake in our future home. I know you could afford just about anything we wanted, but I need to feel like I'm contributing a major part."

"Why?" she asked, genuinely not understanding.

"Bones, I didn't marry you to live off of your money," he said, holding up a hand to stave off her protests, "And I know that you know that, but if you ended up paying for a house and whatever other luxuries, I'd feel like it. I'd feel," he shuffled his feet, kicking sand around on the beach, "I'd feel inadequate, Bones- like I wasn't man enough for you."

"Seeley Booth," she reproved, stopping them in their tracks and moving in front of him to make eye contact, "You are more than man enough for me, never doubt that! What if I felt that I wished to grant you all of the luxuries life has to offer because you have given me back my value as a person? You are the most selfless man I know, Seeley, and you deserve more than you give yourself credit for."

"The only luxury in life I've ever wanted, Temperance, was you," he said reverently, "Having you here with me, as my wife- that's all I need. I'm a no-frills kinda guy that way, Bones."

"You don't even need one of those huge televisions that you are always telling me I should purchase?" she teased.

"Okay, well, _that's_ different," his grin was back, "I think I'd get my man card revoked if I turned down something like that."

"Your man card?" she questioned, as he led her up to one of the restaurants that lined the boardwalk.

He didn't comment back, though his smirk did all the talking for him.

"So what other questions were you pondering?" she asked over dinner.

"The kids," he said simply.

"Yes," she nodded, "I've thought of that as well."

"Every time one of the kids calls me 'Dad' it hits me that once this is over, so is our little family," he sighed heavily, "I've run through a few possible scenarios in my head, but I'm just not sure how practical it would be for us to adopt them after everything is said and done.

"House size aside, it'd be crazy trying to fit them into our lives back in DC. We work insanely long hours and always seem to be in some sort of danger or another, neither of which is the greatest home to make for a kid. Then there's the fact that we're still technically newlyweds and I would love to have some one-on-one time where it's like tonight- just the two of us. We throw three kids into the mix right off the bat and we'll never get it, not to mention we already have one kid who we'll be responsible for every other weekend."

She listened to him quietly and without comment. It was obvious that this was something he had been grappling with for some time now and she wished to know his entire viewpoint before giving hers. When he finally finished, she allowed a momentary silence before she spoke.

"I feel the same way as you in many respects," she started, "Especially as concerns Sadie, since she is the one with whom I have bonded the deepest. It seems almost a cruelty to force them back into the system that has already failed them once and will most-likely do so again if given the opportunity. Adoption, on the other hand, seems to present itself with so many obstacles one wonders if we would truly be doing them any favors at all."

"So where does that leave us?" he asked as they paid the bill and headed back to their car.

"With several decisions to make in the coming weeks," she replied, "We also may want to check with Cullen and see how far the custody arrangement extends once the case is wrapped, as well as how long we will have to move out of the safe house. In the meantime, we can certainly discuss the housing situation."

"Sounds like a start," he grinned as they reached the car.

"Yes," she agreed, and for now, a start was all that they needed.


	23. His Friday

**HUGE props to Bone_Dry for helping with the editing of this chapter. This would have been totally "off" without her. :)**

* * *

Friday at twelve-thirty, Watson excused himself. The office door closed and Booth sat, watching through the postage-stamp sized window as Watson headed out, his footsteps echoing in the narrow, empty hallway. The bottom half of the double doors that separated the hallway from the lobby swung open, and then clicked shut. Booth sighed.

Charlie had hit a dead end on the pimp end by Monday afternoon. Booth had switched into high alert mode on Tuesday, knowing that Max had met with Graft late Monday night and tipped the hit man off as to where Booth's office was- the first step in laying the trap. He and Watson had shifted their routine to help Booth seem like more of a contractor than an office worker. He went to different job sites in the morning, then was back at the office by noon to meet with Watson. The other man was usually gone by one, leaving Booth alone until five- another deliberate act. It needed to look like Booth was hiding something there, not at the house.

The silence was maddening. He could identify every leak in every faucet and knew exactly what sound the vents made just before the air conditioning kicked on. The wooshing sound of the canned air was deafening, and the first time he'd noticed it, he'd jumped. Today, though, he simply closed the window and prepared to freeze. One of these days he was going to figure out how to reset the thermostat.

Time dragged on until it was finally five. Booth brought the whirring of the computer's fan to a halt and the silence crept in again. He abandoned his briefcase since he had no paperwork, threw on his suit jacket, and left.

"Special Agent Seeley Booth," a voice greeted him as he locked up, "You have something I want, and if you give it to me right now, I _might_ let you make it home to the wife and kiddies by six."

"Don't know what you're talking about," Booth turned around slowly, "Name's Dave Keller, but I'd be happy to help if you wanted to use the phones or something."

"Drop the act, Booth, and give me the papers," Graft growled.

Booth assessed the man. They were close to the same height. He didn't seem to be armed, but his pants reached all the way down to his shoes and his sleeves to his wrists.

"Like what you see, Ranger-boy?" Graft taunted.

Booth said nothing and watched as the other man grew irritated.

"What's the matter?" the hit man taunted him again, "Need to take a minute or five?"

Booth's head shot up at that and immediately he regretted it.

"Oops," Graft covered his hand with his mouth, "Was that silent alarm to alert the waiting troops supposed to be a secret? My bad."

Graft moved toward Booth deliberately, "Now, about my papers…"

"They're not here," Booth said honestly.

"Maybe, maybe not," Graft shrugged, "Either way you know where they are and how to get them."

Graft lunged toward Booth, whose reflexes kicked in allowing him to evade the hit, feeling only a brush of fabric as the other man's fist passed through his suit jacket.

"Oh, Agent Booth," the man was grinning like he'd won the lottery, "Missing something?"

Booth swore inwardly as he realized the Graft had his service pistol in hand and leveled at Booth's head.

"Kevlar's come a long way," Graft said, "But I'm pretty sure they haven't come up with invisible helmets yet. Now can we discuss my papers?"

"Sure," Booth shrugged, covering his nerves with sarcasm, "Though dead men tell no tales so I'm pretty sure you'll need me around for a little longer."

"Cute," Graft's face suddenly darkened, "But wrong. What's to stop me from shooting you and going after the source myself?"

"Source?" Booth couldn't tell if Graft was talking about Bones or the Jeffersonian.

"You've been taking me home to them every night so I'm pretty sure I know how to get there," Graft said, "And I haven't met a security system yet that I couldn't crack."

As Graft talked, Booth sweated, looking for anything he could do to get the gun aimed away from his head. The SWAT guards would come in for shots fired, but Booth didn't relish the thought of being shot. The minute the word "crack" was out of Graft's mouth, Booth saw the opening that he needed.

He lunged out, rolling toward Graft, his Kevlar-protected back the only thing exposed, his legs capturing Graft's ankles. Graft didn't fire a shot, but fell to the ground, the gun skidding along the hall's slick floor.

Both men scrambled for the gun, but only succeeded in knocking it further down the hall. They stood up at exactly the same time and Booth doubling over, taking a kidney shot. He managed to stay on his feet thanks to the body armor. He straightened, knuckles bracing for impact as he slammed them into Graft's jaw. There was a popping sound, but Graft absorbed the blow, grabbing Booth's arm before he could pull it back toward his body.

Quickly, Booth wrenched his arm out of the other man's grasp before Graft could dislocate Booth's shoulder or worse. They danced, exchanging blows as they inched ever closer to the gun. Booth felt at least one rib crack when Graft's foot made solid contact with his chest and he pushed away the pain, using it to fuel his anger.

Booth planted his feet and got in a solid kick, but Graft quickly retaliated with a punch of his own to Booth's nose that left him with a familiar salty taste. Squaring off against each other, Booth caught a glint of steel just before the knife slipped into Graft's hand.

"Wonder what the wife would think if I marked up your pretty face?" Graft was back to taunting, but Booth was focusing on the blade and Graft's body language.

"She's hot, by the way," Graft continued, circling Booth like a vulture, "I'd've banged her years ago, if it was me, but 'least you finally got around to it," Booth's blood pressure rose a notch, but he reminded himself if Graft had intended to kill him he'd be dead already, "Maybe I'll get a taste of her myself once I'm done with you."

The gun was only a foot from Booth now. He blocked out the babble, concentrating on timing his move just right. He really didn't want to shoot the man, but he did need to fire the gun, and then there was the knife factor. Booth would bet money that the man knew exactly what he was doing with the knife. He also couldn't remember exactly how Kevlar fared against knives and he really didn't feel like doing an on-site test.

An eternity later, he was an arm's length of the gun. He moved suddenly, and within seconds the gun was in his hand and he was moving back toward Graft.

Firing a shot into the air, he rushed Graft, kneeing the other man in the groin and snatching the knife from him before he could make another move. Footsteps rushed the lobby as Graft groaned and fell to the floor.

Before he could get away, Booth cuffed Graft. The man looked like he was in pain, but Booth wasn't in any shape to stop him again if he tried something. As he stood up against the opposite wall, waiting for SWAT to find him, Booth's chest heaved, his legs turning to jello as the adrenaline drained out of him.

The SWAT team burst through the double doors, and Booth winced at the rush of air. He looked down to find blood pulsing from his arm and oozing onto the floor- apparently he hadn't grabbed the knife as fast as he'd thought. As the first man approached him, he sagged to the ground, grimacing.

The lead man called clear as soon as he saw Graft incapacitated and immediately radioed for a medic for both men. Booth warned them to check for Graft for any more hidden weapons and handed off the knife he'd taken from the hit man.

They assured him that they'd take every precaution and he nodded groggily, taking inventory of his injuries. It hurt to breathe now where his rib had broken and his lungs screamed for fresh oxygen. His wrenched shoulder throbbed and his arm was killing him as the bloodstain on his white dress shirt spread.

Four strong arms eased him onto a backboard and hoisted him up onto a gurney. The journey out to the waiting ambulance was pure torture, each bump making him swear he was going to pass out from the pain. Finally he was up and in and they were on their way to the hospital. The medics put in an IV line right away and soothing pain meds came racing to his rescue.

The last thing he thought as faded into unconsciousness was that- if he managed to survive this- Bones was going to kill him.


	24. Her Friday

Friday morning started with no hint of what was to come.

"Seeley," Temperance spoke softly to her husband, who was trying to get a few extra minutes of sleep in, "You need to get up. The alarm went off ten minutes ago."

"Don't wanna," his voice was groggy and muffled by the pillow.

"Unfortunately, we can't all get what we want, though if you would prefer I can take the children to school for you."

"I'll do it," he rolled over to face her, then groaned, "Bones, you're already dressed."

"I told you that the alarm had gone off ten minutes ago," she reminded him, "Though I don't see what difference it makes whether I am dressed or not."

"Watching you get dressed is my favorite part of the day, Temperance" his eyebrows waggled.

"Then perhaps the next time, _Seeley_, you will get up on time instead of attempting to sleep in," she teased.

"Mmm," he shook his head, "You know, I could always just undress you now."

"Seeley," she squealed, evading his grasp for her and giving him a reproving glare, "Get up, old man!"

"Old, huh?" he stretched and stood up.

"Well," she said, going into the bathroom to finish her makeup and select what jewelry she would be wearing, "You _are_ older than me, Seeley. In point of fact you are the oldest person in this house right now."

"Hmph," he joined her in the bathroom and started the shower, "Gotta get Max back and remedy that."

He was finished with his shower before she had finished at the mirror. After toweling off and making a rather large display of shaking his hair out, he put on a new pair of boxers and came and encircled her waist with his hands, his shower-warmed body pressing up closely to her and making her shiver involuntarily.

"Tonight you are all mine," he growled huskily in her ear.

"Agreed," she turned around to face him and kissed him full on the lips, then pulled back, "But right now we have responsibilities."

Before he could recapture her and fulfill what was obviously a growing desire of his, she slipped out of his grasp and into the bedroom.

"Bones," she heard him complain, "You got your lipstick all over me! I look like a girl!"

She laughed and left the bedroom. Apparently, her husband wasn't the only Booth trying to sleep in this morning. Entering Parker's room she found that the boy was still sound asleep. Gently, she woke him, and asked him to get ready for school. He nodded and by the time she'd left the room he was up and looking for his school clothes. She also had to wake Maddie and Joey, though Sadie was up and alert, waiting patiently in her crib for someone to get her.

Temperance changed Sadie's diaper and they went hand-in-hand down the stairs to get breakfast. As it was Friday and they were low on groceries, she simply got out three boxes of cereal for everyone to choose from and set out the necessary bowls and spoons. By the time they all converged on the dining room, the coffee was done and she was pouring the children's drinks.

They had to rush a bit so that they could leave on time, but they did and Seeley insisted that she stay home while he drove. Twenty minutes later, he was back.

"Did you forget something?" she asked, surprised to see him back in the house when he only had a few minutes to spare.

"Need to grab my lunch," he told her, "And a little something extra."

She was about to ask what that was, when he moved forward quickly and embraced her, capturing her lips in a short, tender kiss.

"Dada!" Sadie interrupted them, latching herself onto his leg.

He broke off the kiss with a smile and scooped the little girl up into his powerful arms, giving her a small kiss on the cheek as well.

"Bye, Katie-girl," he told her, giving her a brief hug before handing her off to Temperance, "Take good care of Mama today for me, okay?"

"Mama!" the one year old flapped her arms up and down excitedly in Temperance's arm.

"See you girls later!" Seeley waved, grabbing his lunch off of the counter and heading for the door, "I love you."

"I love you too, Seeley," she replied.

He turned and waved one last time and was gone.

The rest of her morning was spent doing laundry and cleaning up the house once Sadie was down for her nap. She had done much better throughout the week reminding the children- and her husband- to pick up after themselves, so the housework did not take her nearly as long to do. She had also discovered that laundry had its perks with such a large family.

At the beginning of the week she had announced that any and all change found while doing the wash would revert to her. Apparently her warning had gone unheeded because the washer and dryer yielded her six dollars in change and small bills by the time she had finished all four loads of clothing. Amused with her findings, she folded the laundry carefully and set the clothes in neat stacks at the foot of the stairs for their owners to take and put away. The only clothes she took upstairs were her own and some of Sadie's, though she did leave a small pile so that she could teach Sadie how to do it herself.

Once Joey was home, they ate lunch, did some of the light housework together, and then played outside until both Sadie and Joey grew tired. While they napped, she was able to sit down and work on the outline for her next novel. Her publisher had asked her to submit one by the end of the month, but she preferred to work ahead of time, rather than rush everything at the last minute. She was fairly certain of the case she wished for her fictional heroine to work on, and once she began putting pen to paper the rest of the outline flowed naturally.

Upon finishing the first version of the outline, she saw that it was time to rouse Sadie and Joey so that they would not be late picking the older children up from school. She hated having to stop when her thoughts and ideas were flowing so smoothly, but she set it aside and turned to her other duties.

She was pleased to hear that Maddie and Parker had enjoyed their day at school, and even more pleased that no homework had been assigned to them over the weekend. Arriving home, the older children immediately shed their formal school clothes, gulped down the snack of crackers and cheese that she had prepared for them, and rushed out to the backyard to play. The replica bones that her father had brought them had not lost their appeal yet, and Seeley had come home Tuesday evening with a set of toy dinosaur bones for them to play with as well.

Around quarter after five she noticed that Seeley had not called yet to tell her he was on his way home as had become their custom. She dialed his cell phone number, only to hear it ringing inside of the house. Upon further inspection, she found the phone on the kitchen counter. Shrugging, she took it up to their bedroom and sat it on his dresser so that one of the children would not run off with it.

She went back outside and observed that the older three were still heavily absorbed in their play. Tasking Maddie to keep an eye on her younger sister, Temperance went back in the house and began making dinner.

By six o'clock, the children were inside and cleaned up, dinner was on the table, however, Seeley was not yet home. As there was no way for her to contact him, she got dinner underway without him, setting aside a plate of food so that he could heat it up when he got home. Maddie, Joey, and Parker had just left the table when she heard the familiar sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Her lungs released a breath that she had not realized she'd been holding, and she let Sadie down from her highchair so that the little girl could greet Seeley at the door.

Temperance was puzzled when she heard the doorbell echo through the front of the house, but she supposed perhaps his arms were laden with something and he could not open the door himself. Opening the door to give him a teasing lecture about rushing off and leaving his cell phone at home, she was stunned to find that was not who was on the other side.

"Director Cullen," she said, knowing that her voice belied her surprise, "Booth's not here right now, but please come in and make yourself at home."

"Dr. Brennan," he started solemnly, "I know that Booth isn't here."

"You do?" she asked.

"That's why I'm here," he nodded, "I need to inform you that the trap your husband and father set in place has been sprung. It was successful and our suspect is in custody, however Agent Booth was injured during the arrest."

"How badly?" she asked, trying to keep her mannerisms and voice calm.

She knew if Seeley had been killed that Cullen would have told her that right away as he had the night of the Checker Box shooting.

Cullen craned his neck to see around her, and she noticed for the first time that the children were standing just behind her, waiting anxiously to hear what Cullen had to say.

"Perhaps we should step outside for a moment," the director suggested.

"Of course," Temperance answered.

She asked Maddie and Parker to keep an eye on the younger two children and promised that she would be back momentarily. Parker especially didn't like the idea, but he was wise enough to realize that something serious was going on and that she needed his help. With a brief nod, he tilted his head and challenged the others to a race upstairs to play with Joey's train set.

Satisfied that her charges were sufficiently cared for, Temperance stepped outside to talk with Cullen. A brisk wind greeted her, heralding the coming of autumn and making her shiver involuntarily. The director motioned to someone waiting in his car, then turned to address her.

"Agent Booth received substantial enough injuries to put him in the hospital at least overnight," he told her finally, "They aren't life-threatening, and the hospital doctors assure me that he is stable and resting well."

"May I see him?" she wasn't sure what she was going to do with the children, but at the moment all she could think about was seeing her husband and examining his medical records to make sure he was truly fine.

"Of course," Cullen said, stepping aside and gesturing to the person coming up the walk, "I took the liberty of asking Ms. Montenegro to stay with the kids so that you can come with me."

Angela stepped out of the shadows and embraced her best friend, "Let's get you ready to go," was all that she said.

After a quick glance to make sure that the children were alright, they moved into the master bedroom and closed the door. Temperance found a small overnight bag and began putting things into it for both she and Seeley.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?" Angela asked from the bed, "Cullen did between 90 and 100 so that we could get here ASAP. He didn't want you to hear it from anybody else."

"How is he?" Temperance stopped scurrying around the room and looked her friend in the eye.

"Beat up," Angela sighed, "But the docs have him patched up now so he'll be as good as gold before you know it."

Nodding, she shoved a fresh change of clothes for each of them into the bag, zipped it up, and shouldered it.

"Thank you, Angela," she said earnestly, "For everything."

Angela nodded and hugged her again.

Throwing her hair back behind her shoulders, Temperance asked, "Would you please go get Parker so that I can tell him where I'm going? I'll tell the others momentarily, but Parker needs to hear this first."

Wordlessly, Angela nodded and within seconds the young boy peeked his head through the doorway and came in cautiously. She explained the situation as fully as she could, assuring him that his father was injured, but that he was not going to die. Parker's small shoulders sagged in relief and he enveloped her in a tight hug, assuring her that he would help Ms. Angela take care of everybody while she was gone. She thanked him sincerely.

The story that they told the other children was a modified version, and after several hugs and kisses they released her to go to the hospital with Cullen.

It was the longest twenty minute drive of her life, but as soon as they arrived, they were able to go directly to Seeley's room. When they reached the hallway just before the room, Cullen laid a hand on her arm and told her that he would be in the lobby should she need anything. She thanked him for his kindness and proceeded down the hall.

All around her, she could hear monitors beeping and machine's whirring. An armed guard stood outside of one of the rooms several doors away and she wondered if they were guarding the suspect that Cullen had informed her of. Shaking off any thoughts that veered in the direction of the case, she braced herself and opened the door to Seeley's room.

He was asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. His right arm had been immobilized and wrapped in gauze, though she was thankful to see nothing adorning his left arm as well. The corners of her mouth turned up at the sight of the pudding cup clenched in his left hand. His face was ashen and bore evidence of a fistfight. It appeared that he had broken his ribs as well, since they were bound tightly.

She went over to the end of the bed and perused his medical chart, peering in the dim light at the x-rays that were there as well. She sighed in relief as the chart told her that his injuries were indeed minor and that he had not lost a significant amount of blood. The x-ray showed that one of his ribs had been cleanly broken and two others fractured, though nothing had punctured his lungs.

"Am I gonna live, Doc?" his voiced rasped from the bed with no hint that he recognized her with her face hidden by the chart.

"I suppose," she smiled slightly, lowering the file so that he could see her face, "Though you should know that your wife is not amused."

"Bones," he smiled, then winced in pain.

"Seeley," she said, coming around to the side of the bed so that she could take his uninjured hand, "What happened?"

"Graft got the jump on me," he told her, "Disabled the silent alarm and everything."

"It would appear that you fought," she wasn't really sure what else she should say.

"Yeah," Seeley gave her half of a smile, "I nearly got shot with my own gun, but we got him in the end."

"Did you have to kill him?" her mind drifted again to the guards down the hall.

"Nope," he shook his head minutely, "Needed him for questioning. He got me pretty good with his knife, though before I took him down."

"Yes," her thoughts went to what she had read in the chart, "Though fortunately it was not very deep."

"Hurt like a sucker," he told her wryly, "Thought I was gonna die of the pain before they started pumping meds into me."

"You should be thankful the cut was on the outside region of your arm rather than on the inside where all of the major arteries run. And it appeared that your ligaments were only stretched, not torn, nor was your shoulder dislocated."

"Are you alright, Bones?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well," he smirked, "I just thought you might be a bit peeved that I went off and got myself injured and didn't invite you to the party."

"While I am not pleased that you were injured," she frowned at him, "We all knew that there was an element of risk to this plan, though of course we didn't know what day to expect it to happen. Cullen informed me in person what had happened as soon as he could and saw to adequate childcare for the children. In short I don't see any way in which this scenario was mishandled."

"You didn't answer my question, Temperance," he spoke softly and squeezed her hand, "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head, "I was very relieved to find that you weren't badly hurt."

"Come here," he beckoned her to sit beside him on the bed.

She did, and he cupped her face with his uninjured hand, softly stroking her hair.

"What's going on up there, Bones?" he tapped her head lightly, "Were you worried for long?"

She shook her head slowly, the events of the last several hours crashing over her.

"You forgot your phone," she said softly, "So I had no reason to believe you were not on your way home. I even set aside a plate of food for you to heat up," she slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes, "When Cullen pulled into the driveway, I thought it was you and even when he rang the doorbell it didn't strike me as odd. I-I know it is illogical but I feel badly that I never thought to consider that something was truly wrong until he told me what had happened."

"Hey," he soothed, brushing away the stray tear that was meandering down her cheek, "You couldn't have known, Bones- and you couldn't have done anything but worry more even if you had known."

"I do not feel like a good wife," she blurted out, "I was unable to discern that something was amiss from our usual routine and now-" she looked at him through glistening eyes, "Now I am highly unsure as to what to say to comfort you in your time of need, and instead I am the one who is being comforted."

Seeley, thankfully, said nothing, simply pulled her further into his embrace despite the fact that it must have been painful for him. She didn't weep or sob, but her shoulders shuddered as she realized how badly the day could have ended. He rubbed her back and moved further over on the bed to give her room to extend her legs beside his.

"This," he spoke barely above a whisper, kissing her gently on the lips, "Is all I needed."

"What?" she asked, matching his tone but unsure of what he was referring to.

"You," he said, "Just you, Bones."


	25. Together

Booth held his wife close, blocking out the pain as his bruised body protested. He smiled as she slipped her shoes off and brought her legs up onto the bed. She rolled over onto her side and he pulled her as close to him as he could. Silence blanketed them and he wondered if she realized how close he'd come to not making it home today.

Closing his eyes he could still picture his gun pointed at his head, the adrenaline pumping though his veins as he searched desperately for an escape. Any mistake back there could easily have ended in his death, and no matter how many times he'd been through it before it was still unsettling. The thing he'd learned over the years was to be grateful that he was lying in a hospital bed and not on some slab at the county morgue.

All in all, he'd come out okay this time. The bruises would probably heal the fastest, then his "scratch" as long as it didn't get infected. His shoulder would take a few weeks to heal, but it wouldn't be too bad since nothing was torn or dislocated, just stretched a little. His ribs, on the other hand, were the nasty part. The docs had told him the first time he'd woken up here that he'd fractured two ribs and that a third was snapped clean through. Long experience told him it'd be six to eight weeks at least before they healed, and longer before he'd feel completely healthy.

Beside him, Bones stirred.

"I should go get Cullen," she told him, getting up and putting her shoes back on, "He seemed very agitated about your condition, and he was kind enough to drive me here."

Booth nodded, "Go ahead. Far as I know, I'm not going anywhere."

That brought a smile to the corners of her lips and she promised to return momentarily. Once his door closed, he moved toward the center of the bed again. Nice as it had been to hold her close, his body was telling him that he needed as much room as possible to spread out.

The door opened again and a nurse came in, carrying a large bag of ice for his ribs. Under her direction, he moved to the edge of the bed and allowed her to unwind the large ace bandage they'd put around his ribs. The nurse gently removed the old bag of ice-which had turned to water- and replaced it. He winced as she rebound the new ice snugly to his chest, but knew that there wasn't an alternative.

The nurse then checked his vitals and his meds and helped him get resettled on the bed.

"Need anything else, Dear?" she asked.

"Some more pudding?" he asked, hopefully.

The nurse laughed, but nodded, "I'll bring some more when your cot gets here."

He gave her a confused look.

"Apparently you're pretty special around here, Mr. Booth," she smiled kindly, "Your boss got permission for your wife to stay with you tonight. Cot should be down in another half hour. Meanwhile, are you up for your visitors?"

He nodded and she waved goodbye, calling to someone down the hall as she left.

Seconds later, Cullen came through the door, followed closely by Bones. Cullen's stay was brief, just enough to make sure that Booth was being taken care of and to assure him that Graft was being moved to a secure facility later that night. The director then excused himself, promising to return the next day when Booth was ready to be discharged.

As the door closed behind Cullen, Bones sagged into her chair and Booth could see the fatigue etched into her face. It really wasn't that late- maybe eight or something like that- but, he reminded himself, she'd been up since seven and had most likely been busy all day with the kids, and he could only imagine the kind of emotional roller coaster she had been on since Cullen broke the news to her.

"A cot will be here soon," he told her.

"Huh?" she gave him a vacant look.

"The nurse told me that Cullen pulled so strings so that you can stay here tonight," he explained, "She said they'd be bringing a cot down for you shortly."

"Sounds good," she murmured softly.

"Busy day?" he asked as she leaned forward and put her head down on his bed.

Her head bobbed up and down, but all she said was, "Housework."

"Ah," her fatigue made even more sense now, and he stroked her hair softly, "Want me to call and bug 'em for the cot?"

She shook her head, so he let her be, enjoying the feel of her silky hair through his fingers. It wasn't long before her breathing evened out and he could tell she was asleep. Ten minutes later, the cot was wheeled in and quietly set up by Booth's nurse and one of the orderlies. Bones was still sound asleep and he smiled graciously at the two women for completing the task without rousing her one bit. The nurse took his vitals again and whispered that she would be back in a few hours to ice him up again. She also left him several pudding cups and two spoons.

The door clicked shut as the two women left and Bones roused.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Just the ladies dropping off your cot," he smiled, "They left pudding too if you want some."

"I _am_ somewhat hungry," she yawned, stretching, "Was I asleep long?"

"Nope," he shook his head, "But feel free to climb under the covers and sleep if you'd like."

"Perhaps in a bit," she said, taking one of the pudding cups his offered, "Though it was not my intention to come to the hospital and fall asleep."

She opened both of their puddings and helped him get situated so that he could eat with his left hand. It was awkward, and she had to help him a few times, but the pudding tasted so good he didn't mind too much. Still, it took him five minutes to get through one pudding cup, and by that time, his ribs were telling him it was time to take it easy. He looked longingly over at the other cups, but they would have to wait for another time.

"Would you like me to feed some more to you?" her voice was so soft he almost didn't hear her.

"Really?" he was touched by her thoughtfulness and didn't want to turn her down if she wanted to help.

"Yes," she nodded her head, "I've become quite adept at spooning food into Sadie's mouth and your gross motor skills are far more advanced then hers, so I doubt you will close your mouth at inopportune times. That is, if it does not offend you?"

"I could never be offended by pudding," he told her, her big words telling him that she was recovering from all of the emotional strain quickly, "Or you."

Smiling, she picked out a vanilla pudding for him, opened it, and began spooning it into his mouth. This time, he was able to enjoy his pudding without being in pain. Bones really was good at feeding him and under a different set of circumstances it would've been downright sexy. As it was, though, he felt very blessed to have somebody care for him so tenderly.

"Bones," he said when she'd finished, "I think I have some pudding on my lips, could you help get it off?"

She looked at him closely, "I don't see anything-" she broke off as he launched his charm smile on her and rolled her eyes, "Was that a sexual invitation?"

"Well," he cleared his throat, enjoying a chance to tease her, "I'm not sure if my ribs are up to that but if you really want…"

"Alpha male," she snorted.

"Completely."

"Incorrigible."

"Always. Now come over here and kiss me, Temperance."

She scowled at the order, but he could see she was having as much fun bantering back and forth as he was. It was their thing, and it helped restore a tiny slice of normality despite the setting. As if she were in slow motion, he watched her sit down on the edge of the bed, tuck her feet up under her, lean in toward him, and part her lips. He couldn't wait any longer, and moved his head up to meet her lips halfway. Where his lips were dried and cracked, hers were soft and supple and parted almost instantly for him.

Once he was inside of her mouth he reveled at the familiarity of it. With his eyes closed he could almost imagine that they were back at home and that the nightmarish day had been just that- a bad dream. It was a passionate kiss, but not one fueled by lust. His good arm snaked around her waist, while her free hand cupped his face ever so gently.

Eventually, they parted, foreheads still touching because neither one of them wanted to break the contact yet.

"Seeley," he felt her words touch his mouth with small puffs of air, "I'm so glad you weren't- I mean that you aren't-"

"Shh," he cut her off with a brief kiss so that she wouldn't have to voice the thought, "Me too."

They nodded in tandem and shared a look, still holding onto one another. Finally, she let go, allowing him to ease his head back onto his pillow.

"We should sleep," she said simply, unfurling her legs from beneath her and standing up slowly.

At his nod, she took the small overnight bag that she had brought with her and moved to the bathroom to change. She reappeared in one of his old FBI t-shirts and a pair of cutoff shorts.

"Love the PJs," he commented.

"I was rushed," she shrugged.

"You look better in it than I ever did," he winked, "And those shorts are hot."

She smiled demurely and kissed him one last time before heading over to her cot.

"Ready for lights out, Bones?" he asked once she was settled.

"Yes," she yawned.

He hit the button on his remote control, and instantly all of the lights went out, save the pesky ones on his monitor.

"Goodnight," he called to her in the dark.

"Goodnight," she answered, "I love you."

"Love you too, Bones," he smiled.


	26. Healing

Temperance awoke the next morning surrounded by Seeley's scent, and for a moment thought that she was at home. One opened eye, however disproved that theory, and the memory of yesterday's events came flooding back to her. She sat up, stretched, and determined that while her back was a tad bit sore, the rest of her body had fared well sleeping on the hospital's cot. She also felt surprisingly well-rested. On a subconscious level she had been aware of the comings and goings of the nurses throughout the night, but her sleep had been so deep she had not been fully awakened.

Right now, she was pleased to see that she and Seeley were alone in the room. The corners of her lips turned when she spotted him sound asleep, a small pile of drool collecting on the right side of his mouth. Her stomach rumbled loudly in the quiet room, reminding her that she had not had anything to eat since the pudding cup last night.

She headed into the small bathroom, duffle bag in hand, and proceeded to change out of her cut-offs and into a pair of jeans. Deciding that the t-shirt was sufficient for eating breakfast- and noting that for some reason she had forgotten to take off her bra the night before- she put her hair up in a neat ponytail, gave herself a quick once-over, and left.

Seeley was still sound asleep when she slipped out the door and down the hall in search of the hospital's cafeteria. Once there, she perused the line of food before settling on a small box of cereal, a container of orange juice, and an apple. She also found a donut with frosting and sprinkles that she thought Seeley would like once he awakened and decided to purchase that as well.

Making quick work of her meal, she then went in search of the Starbucks coffee center that she had seen signs for on her way to the cafeteria. She smiled ruefully as she stood in line, thinking that whatever businessman had devised putting a gourmet coffee shop inside a hospital was a genius. With her in line stood several harried doctors, nurses, and interns, not to mention people like her who were visiting friends and family.

Purchasing two tall cups of coffee and a package of shortbread cookies, she made her way back up to Seeley's room. He was still asleep so she put his coffee and donut aside and decided to go on a short walk so she wouldn't wake him. In the waiting room at the end of the hall she found a large window that overlooked the well-manicured grounds at the rear of the hospital. Settling down on the padded window ledge, she sipped her coffee and savored her cookies.

"Mrs. Booth," she heard a voice call from behind her.

It never occurred to her that the speaker might be addressing her, so she continued eating.

"Mrs. Booth," the voice called again, this time a bit louder, and she wondered- irritated that her moment of tranquility was being trespassed upon- when the person being paged would answer.

"Mrs. Booth," this time the voice was directly behind her and a hand tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

She turned around to find a nurse smiling kindly at her.

"I apologize," she told the nurse, "My husband and I were only recently married and I didn't realize you were referring to me."

"That's fine," the woman shrugged, still smiling, "I know when my Tony and I were first married I used to think that people calling for Mrs. Stauffer wanted my mother-in-law."

It was on the tip of Temperance's tongue to tell the woman that technically that name could apply to both mother and daughter-in-law, but she decided that might not be polite.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked instead.

"Yes, actually," Nurse Stauffer said, as if suddenly remembering that she had come with a purpose. She extended a clipboard full of papers, "These are just some standard forms that need to be filled out before your husband is discharged because of his rushed admission yesterday, and someone will be by to get a copy of your health insurance card too.

"I figured since your husband is right-handed that you'd be the one filling out the forms, and this'll save you some time once the discharge orders come through."

"Do you expect that will be soon?" Temperance asked, accepting the clipboard.

The nurse shrugged, "Doc Warren should be making his rounds here some time after lunch, but as long as Agent Booth is stable he'll probably be released before dinner. Not much we can do for broken ribs but pack 'em with ice every so often.

"In fact, Mrs. Booth," the woman smiled brightly at Temperance, "If you'd like to come with me, we can wake him and I'll show you how to pack the ice and change his dressings."

"That would be very helpful," she said, though she doubted the process was overly difficult, "And please, call me Temperance."

"Gladys," the other woman introduced herself, "I was at the end of my shift yesterday when your husband first came in. Was glad to see this morning that he's on the mend."

Temperance wasn't sure what she was supposed to say, so she simply nodded and kept quiet. Soon, they reached Seeley's room. Gladys rapped sharply on the door, then entered.

"Well look who finally decided to join us," the nurse teased Seeley, who had inclined the mattress so that he could sit up, "I was just telling your beautiful Temperance here that it is time to change your ice."

Seeley made a face at the nurse, then smiled at Temperance, "I was wondering where you'd gotten to."

"Breakfast," Temperance informed him, "Though you were still asleep when I returned, so I went for a walk."

Their conversation was interrupted by Gladys, who gave the forensic anthropologist step-by-step instructions on how to correctly pack the ice around Seeley's ribcage and change the dressing on the long scratch that ran along his arm.

"Now you might get a little squeamish when you change the dressing the first time," Gladys warned as she set Seeley's arm gently back into its sling, "That's no paper cut there, so a little oozing is natural. Just make sure you call a doctor if the skin around it gets hot, or if it starts oozing puss. Blood's okay, but puss we want to know about."

"Yeah, _Temperance_," Seeley teased, "I'm not mopping up after you if you yack all over me."

"While I see no connection between vomiting and a long-haired bovine, _Seeley_," she rolled her eyes, "I would assert that you are the more likely candidate to vomit as you can rarely get through a crime scene without gagging or making some such reference to your abhorrence of bodily fluids."

"I'm just saying," his grin was huge, "I'd understand if you want me to call Cam in on this one. She's the flesh expert you know?"

"I am fully capable of tending to your wounds," Temperance sniffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Just checkin', Bones."

"Bones? Temperance? Crime scenes?" two heads turned to find a stunned nurse still standing at Seeley's bedside, "Why, you're Dr. Temperance Brennan, the author, aren't you?" she looked long and hard at Seeley, "And you must be the Special Agent that she dedicated her book to a while back! I _knew_ I'd recognized your name from somewhere when you came in last night but I just couldn't place it."

"She still won't let me read her manuscripts," Seeley groused.

"Oh hush," the nurse told him before Temperance could offer a retort, "That's her right and besides it's not every man who gets a best-selling novel dedicated to him."

Temperance shot Seeley a triumphant smirk.

"I'll leave you two be," Gladys told them, "Call me if you need anything, dears."

"'I'm not mopping up after you'?" Temperance pinned him with her eyes as soon as the door clicked shut behind the nurse.

"No doubt that was the drugs talking."

"Don't give me that, Seeley Booth!" she flounced in the chair beside him, "And don't you try your charm smile on me either. I know for a fact that they switched your medications overnight to acetaminophen and a common anti-inflammatory."

"Got any of that coffee for me?" he asked sweetly, blatantly ignoring her accusations, "And maybe some sort of food that I can ID without asking?"

"Perhaps," she teased, unable to resist that stupid smile, "Though only if your behavior warrants it."

"I'll behave," he promised.

She produced the donut and coffee that she had procured for him along with the rest of her cookies and coffee and they settled into a comfortable silence. Remembering the clipboard that Gladys had handed her earlier, she went to retrieve it and began perusing its contents. The further she read, the more thankful she was that he was alert enough to help her.

"I'll need you to dictate the answers to these questions," she raised the clipboard toward him.

"Mmm hmm," he assented through his mouthful of donut and she smiled at the red sprinkle that had affixed itself to his nose.

Brushing it off for him, she turned back to the paperwork, "I suppose this is a good reminder that we still have a good deal of information to exchange once we return to DC," he looked at her questioningly, so she continued, "I have no idea who your insurance provider is, how your medical bills are processed in the event of your being injured while on a case," she looked at the form again, "I'm not even positive what your mailing address is as I've never had the need for it, and I certainly do not know your Social Security Number or whether or not you have a living will."

"Health insurance stuff is on the card in my wallet," Seeley said, chasing down the rest of his donut with a swig of coffee, "FBI covers any and all hospital bills received while I'm on a case- though that's a whole 'nother butt-load of paperwork to fill out once we get home. I'm not sure I could give you your mailing address right off hand either, honestly," he leaned back against his pillow, "As for Socials, I'd memorize mine if I were you because you'll need it for just about every form you'll fill out, and every time you want to get information from Uncle Sam about me."

"Do you have a living will?" she asked, mentally filing all of his advice for future reference as she went to locate his wallet.

"Yup," he nodded, "It's the standard one they recommend when you join up and I update it every year when the memo goes around. I'll show you all of the life insurance stuff too."

"We can go over my papers as well," she nodded.

They spent the next five minutes filling out all of the forms that Gladys had given them and Seeley signed them with his left hand when they were done. That task finished, Temperance excused herself to take a shower and dress for the day.

The rest of the morning was spent helping Seeley get used to walking around with his sore ribs. Nurse Stauffer encouraged the exercise, insisting that it was necessary if he wanted to go home by the end of the day. This fueled Seeley's resolve, and by the time the doctor made his rounds, the patient no longer looked like an invalid. Temperance could tell that he was still extremely sore, but the physician seemed pleased with his progress and released him with the understanding that he was not to return to work for a minimum of three weeks and even then he was not to return to the field until the full six weeks had passed.

Temperance called Cullen soon after Dr. Warren left, and told the director that Booth would be released soon. She relayed the doctor's orders and Cullen grunted his acknowledgement and they hung up.

"Hey, Bones?" she heard Seeley call and turned around to see him rifling through the duffle bag she'd packed, "Think you could help me get my clothes on?"

She smiled, eyeing him covered only by the bed sheet that he'd wrapped around his waist.

"Come on, Bones," he said impatiently, "Quit eyeing me like a piece of meat, it's freezing in here!"

"I believe the correct saying is 'keep your pants on'," she teased, "However, in this instance that would not be applicable."

"Figures," Seeley grumbled, "The one time you get a saying right and I'm left here practically naked and freezing my butt off."

"You're rather testy this afternoon," she frowned, removing his clothes from the bag.

"I'm ready to go home."

"So I surmised."

Satisfied that she had all of his clothes out, she went over to the room's windows that looked out into the hallway and closed the blinds.

"Sit," she ordered, removing the sheet from his waist and pointing at the cot.

He obeyed. His boxer shorts and the sweatpants that she'd packed slid on him easily as nothing was wrong with his lower extremities. When they went to put on his shirt, however, she was thankful that she had decided on a button down one as even that proved difficult to maneuver on without causing him pain. Upon finishing, she reattached his sling, placing his arm gently inside of it.

"Thanks, Bones," he smiled wearily at her, "You're a good wife."

She felt the heat rise in her cheeks at his compliment. Good wife material was not something that she'd ever thought she would be before they were married, and truth be told, she was still adjusting to the idea that they were husband and wife now. Impulsively, she pecked him on the cheek, then moved down to the head of the cot.

"Come lay down," she invited, patting her lap.

Wincing all the way, he lowered his head down onto her lap and stretched his long frame out on the cot, his feet reaching down to the very end. She leaned up against the wall behind her and began running her fingers through his hair. He told her a little more about the fight and how close he'd come to death and she shared her funny misunderstanding earlier with Nurse Stauffer. They both agreed that they were badly in need of a honeymoon, though Seeley teased that his new wife would not know what to do for two weeks with no murder or mayhem.

Eventually the conversation settled into a comfortable silence, and before she knew it, he was asleep, his head still on her lap. Smiling down over his sleeping form, she leaned forward, kissed his forehead, and then leaned her own head back on the wall, wondering when the release orders would be finalized.

A half an hour later, a knock sounded at the door and Gladys' head appeared.

"I'm about to go off shift," she said quietly, so as not to startle Seeley, "But I wanted to be the one to discharge you."

Gently, Temperance woke Seeley from his nap and the two women helped him sit upright so that he could sign the last of the release papers. Gladys went over his discharge instructions with them, providing them with several large, sturdy bags to put ice in for his ribs. They thanked her and turned in the papers they had filled out earlier and she informed them that director Cullen was waiting for them in the waiting room and that they were free to go.

Slinging the duffle bag and her purse over her shoulder, Temperance slipped an arm around Seeley's waist on his left side and helped him navigate out into the hallway. They thanked Gladys and waved goodbye before heading toward the waiting area. An orderly was waiting with Cullen and insisted that it was hospital policy that patients be wheeled out to the parking lot.

Temperance personally felt the policy was ridiculous as it caused Seeley pain to sit down and stand back up again once they were at the doors. She also saw him cringe several times along the way as the orderly did not adjust his speed when they went over bumps in the floor. Of course, he cringed several more times as they walked the short distance to Cullen's car and by the time they had him secured in the front seat he was weary from the effort.

Cullen drove them back to the safe house, helped Seeley out of the car, and promised to be in touch shortly. The couple nodded their goodbyes and began the trek down the long walkway that led to the house. Just as she reached for the knob, the door sprung open to reveal a room full of smiling faces.

A banner with the words "Welcome Home, Daddy!" had been hung across one of the doorways. Temperance instantly recognized the handwriting as Angela's, but she could see that each of the children had added their own drawing as well. Looking around the room she also noted that more than just Angela and the children were present. Her father- along with all of their friends from the Jeffersonian- was there, not to mention Seeley's mother, sister, brother-in-law, and nephews.

Suddenly, Parker and the three Lane children burst forward, and Temperance had to move quickly to intercept them before they could ram Seeley and cause further injury. She accepted their hugs and cards on his behalf and explained that they needed to be very careful around him. Three heads bobbed up and down in understanding while Sadie simply lifted her arms to be held.

Putting Sadie on one hip, she took Seeley's hand and guided him over to the most comfortable arm chair in the room. Well wishes were expressed and his mother and sister fussed over him quite a bit, wanting to be sure that he had received adequate care at the hospital. He assured them that he had, but allowed them to fuss nonetheless. He also gave an abbreviated account of his experiences, making sure that the content was suitable for some of the younger ones.

Everyone stayed for dinner as her father and Hodgins prepared food for them on the outdoor grill. Salads, rolls, condiments, chips, and a wide assortment of junk food appeared as if out of nowhere as the happy company sat down throughout the lower level of the house to eat. Her father presented her with a special veggie burger, and made sure that she knew _he_ was the one who had provided the Oreos.

Several hours and four tired and grumpy children later, Temperance shot Angela a pleading look and heaved a sigh of relief as the artist began graciously sending everyone home. Maddie, Joey, and Sadie needed no encouragement to go to bed. Parker lingered until his relatives left, and Seeley allowed his son a small hug before sending Parker to bed with the others.

As Temperance came back downstairs from putting the children to bed, Angela and Hodgins emerged from the kitchen and announced that everything from the party had been cleaned up and put away. The two women shared a long embrace as Temperance thanked her friend profusely for all of her assistance over the past two days.

"No problem, Sweetie," Angela assured her, "Besides, I'm gonna need all the practice I can get."

Temperance looked at her friend quizzically, then noticed that the artist was caressing her midsection.

"You're pregnant?" she blurted out.

Angela beamed and nodded and Hodgins came over and wrapped his arms around Angela's waist.

"The divorce papers just came back, making it officially legal for us to marry, finally," Hodgins informed them, "And you're all invited to the wedding next Saturday!"

"Do I still get to French the maid of honor?" Seeley's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"No way, man," Hodgins grinned, "We'd never get the two of you apart!"

"Spoil sport," Seeley grumbled good-naturedly.

Angela yawned, reminding everyone else what a long two days it had been. Goodbyes were exchanged as the two couples parted. Angela and Hodgins were staying at a local hotel and promised to come back in the morning and help around the house.

Quiet descended upon the house for the first time since they'd arrived home and they savored it for a long moment. Suddenly, she remembered that he needed to have new ice put onto his ribs and his arm dressing replaced. A short time later she finished, and they decided that they would sleep downstairs for the time being, so that Seeley didn't have to worry about climbing up the steps. She collected their things from the master bedroom, bringing down extra pillows just in case he needed them.

By the time she joined him in the spare room, he was already undressed and in bed waiting for her. Quickly changing into her own nightclothes, she turned off all of the lights and joined him.

"Are you comfortable?" she asked into the darkness.

"Uh huh," came the sleepy reply, "You okay over there?"

"Yes, thank you."

"G'night, Bones," a hand reached out, brushing up against her arm, "I love you."

She moved as close as she dared without jolting his ribs, smiling as their fingers found each other and entwined, "I love you too, Seeley."


	27. Kids

Booth spent the first few days after he came home from the hospital catching up on the sleep he'd lost since finding out that Graft was actively seeking them out. Bones made a good nurse and Angela and Hodgins had stayed in the area to help out with the kids. Parker started coming in and sitting with his dad every day when he got home from school. They would go over Parker's homework together and then sit and talk about whatever was on the boy's mind. Both of them knew that the days that their days of seeing each other every day were coming to an end, so they spent as much time together as possible.

Booth was also enjoying his time with the three Lane kids. Every morning, Bones would help him into the living room, where he would sit and play with Sadie while Bones dropped the kids off at school. When Joey got home from preschool, he would come into the spare room lugging in some of his favorite toys and the two of them would play on the large mattress. Maddie- the most reserved and least demanding of any of the kids- never said much, but she designated herself early on as the one who would bring Booth his meals and pick up the dishes after he was finished.

Exactly a week after coming home, Cullen had called to let Booth know that the missing pages from the diary had been found on Graft at the time of the arrest. The DEA had decoded them and found exactly what they had been looking for. Over the weekend, they had successfully rounded up the five major Red Mist leaders that Zap had investigated. The cocaine brick that had been recovered with Candie Lane's things had been positively linked with the other drugs the DEA confiscated during the Red Mist raid and virtually insured that the men would be put away.

This meant, Cullen informed Booth, that there was no longer any danger to any of the Booths or the Lane children and their time in the Witness Protection Program was officially over. The two men then had a long discussion as to what would happen next. Cullen had no problem with them remaining in the safe house for the time being, given Booth's injuries and the fact that no long-term plans had been made for the Lane children. In two weeks, however, when Booth would officially be cleared for desk duty again, they would all be expected to return to DC.

This would give he and Bones a small window of time to decide what role, if any, they would play in the Lane children's future, and at the same time they could prepare all of the kids for the change that was coming. Booth also requested that he be allowed to interrogate Graft when he got back. The man was already going away for assaulting a federal officer, but Booth wanted to nail the man to the wall for what he had done to Paul Zap, the Lane grandparents, and possibly Candie herself. Cullen agreed to the interrogation and informed Booth that the moving trucks would come for their personal belongings a week from Friday.

Booth waited a full day after Cullen's call came before calling Rebecca and letting her know that Parker was safe and could technically go back to DC now. To his surprise, she did not demand Parker back right away, but rather agreed that he could stay until Booth and Bones came back to DC. He thanked her, and she told him to feel better soon. Parker, though disappointed that he would be going back in just a little over a week, was happy that he got to stay as long as everyone else.

As the days passed, Booth began to slowly regain his strength. As soon as he could stand it, he started going in the pool and exercising his legs, which he could tell had weakened from a week spent mostly laying around. The water was great because it let him get a good workout on his legs, and even his shoulder if he went all the way under, without hurting his ribs any further. Walking around at anything less than a snail's pace still hurt, but after a week of exercising in the pool, he could feel the muscles in his legs growing stronger.

By the end of the second week, his shoulder started feeling like it was getting back to normal, though he couldn't lift up either of his arms all the way because of his ribs. The knife wound had closed completely too, though he was pretty sure he'd have a scar there for the rest of his life. Bones insisted on slathering cocoa butter on it every night so that it wouldn't scar as badly. He'd groused the first few times, but she'd stood her ground and eventually he gave in.

The Saturday before the moving trucks were to arrive, Angela and Hodgins once again came to watch the kids overnight. Hodgins gave Booth the keys to the suite that they had been staying in at one of the local hotels- a hotel that Hodgins conveniently owned- and told the G-man to just let the staff know what they needed and it would be provided. Booth was a little uncomfortable with the idea, but at the same time he knew that he and Bones had some serious decisions that needed to be made and they were running out of time.

They arrived at the hotel just after lunch and were escorted up to the top floor immediately. The doorman instructed them to call him if they required anything, then left them alone.

"So where do we begin?" Bones asked as they settled onto one of the plush couches in the living room area.

He shook his head grinning, knowing that he should not have expected anything less of her, "Let's start with Parker and move on from there."

She nodded, "Will we be taking Parker back to Rebecca's, or will she be coming to pick him up Friday morning?"

"She's working, so we'll take him there once the trucks are on their way," he answered, "Cullen called yesterday and said they'd be at the house by seven, and you figure they're only coming for our stuff so it shouldn't take too long."

"Alright," she agreed, "I talked with school's principle today and he assured me that all of Parker's work would be transferred back to DC, as well as his grades, so he should be able to make the transition smoothly. He also knows that the children's last day will be on Thursday."

Booth chuckled, "Parker told me yesterday that he couldn't wait to get home so that he didn't have to wear a uniform to school. I think he liked his teacher here, but the shirt and tie routine was getting to him."

"Like father, like son," she teased, then sobered, "I'll miss him."

"Yeah," Booth nodded, pulling her close to him so that her head leaned on his chest.

They sat in silence for several minutes. Living with his son for close to two months straight had given him a taste of what he'd been missing out on for the past seven years. They'd had a few rough patches here and there, but overall it had been wonderful and they'd grown much closer as a result. He'd also loved watching Parker's relationship with Bones grow too. Parker had fully accepted her as a member of the family, and they had worked long and hard at figuring out their new roles as step-son and step-mother.

"So," Bones broke the silence, sitting up and turning to face him again, "What about the Lane children?"

Booth let out a long sigh. This was the part of the decision-making process that he had been looking forward to the least.

"I've done a lot of thinking in that area the last couple of weeks," he said cautiously, shaking his head, "And I still just don't see how they could fit in with our lifestyle back in DC," he ran his fingers through his hair, "That seems so selfish to me, in a way, because between the two of us we could way more than swing it financially, but our jobs- the hours that we put in and danger factor- I just don't see how it could work and really be good for them."

Bones turned to sit sideways on the couch and took hold of his left hand, stroking it as she began speaking.

"The danger factor is the least of our worries," she smiled sadly, "We cannot be ruled by fear, Seeley, not to mention that that line of thinking played a large role in what kept us apart for several years," their eyes connected, "I agree that our job obligations as they are right now are not conducive to raising three children. If we were to decide in favor of adoption it would be a sentimental act, and a foolish one as well, though neither one of us is eager to release them into the foster care system either. I believe, however, that I may have found a suitable compromise."

"What?" his eyes were riveted to her, knowing that if anyone could find a solution to this mess it was her.

"There is a boarding school in Pennsylvania that takes in children similar to the Lanes and gives them a quality education from pre-kindergarten all of the way through high school," she started softly, her voice growing excited as she continued, "They are a private school, founded by Milton Hershey and fully funded by the chocolate company that he owned, and which he left to them in the form of a trust. The children live in group homes according to their age, and while Maddie and Joey would not get to live together, they would be allowed to see each other on a daily basis.

"Of all of the group home and boarding school settings I researched, this sounded like the one that would suit their needs best. They are well-reputed throughout the region for their academic standards as well as the emotional and physical care that they provide. It is also a year-round boarding facility for those who meet specific criteria- which the Lane children, as orphans, easily would. I took the liberty of inquiring and they do have openings available."

"Sounds good," he nodded, "Is there a catch?"

"Not on the part of the school, no," she shook her head, "If accepted, all of their needs would be cared for without cost to us, or anyone else."

"But?" he knew she was holding out on him.

"Sadie is too young," she said sadly, "Joey meets the minimum age requirement, and Maddie, of course, would easily qualify, but Sadie would not."

"She would have to go into the system?"

"Not necessarily," Bones shook her head slowly.

"What are you saying, Temperance?" he asked, drawing her chin up so that their eyes met.

"We could apply for guardianship of her until she reaches age four and can qualify for the school," her words tumbled out as if she expected him to shoot the idea down, "While I know that our lifestyle could not accommodate three children, I do believe it can accommodate one. There is a daycare facility for children four and under both at the Jeffersonian and the Hoover Building and I believe if we would alter our schedule so as to complete our paperwork at home, rather than at the office, we would have the time necessary to adequately nurture her.

"We could apply for guardianship of the other two as well, which would give them the option of coming to live with us during school breaks or holidays. That would require us to shift our schedule drastically for only a limited time period, however, it is feasible and it would allow the older children to keep in contact with Sadie."

Booth smiled tenderly at his wife, knowing the special place in her heart that had been filled by the little girl over the last two months, "Why not adopt her?"

"She wouldn't qualify for the school then," Bones shook her head, "There is a monetary requirement that children must meet and if she were our child rather than our ward she would be disqualified."

"She wouldn't need the school if we were her parents," he spoke gently, "And if we have guardianship of the other kids, then she can still be a part of their lives."

"Maddie and Joey might become jealous of her," she pointed out, as if that had been her biggest concern all along.

"No," he shook his head, "They'll be happy for her, and besides, she wouldn't be able to go with them either way, so this gives them a chance to still see her," he raised her hands to his lips and kissed them softly, "Hey, who knows? Maybe by the time Sadie would qualify for the school things will've changed with us and we'll be ready to change our lifestyle and adopt all of them."

"In under four years' time?" she questioned him speculatively.

He grinned, knowing he had her here, "Temperance, think about all that has changed for us in the last four years. Who knows what the future will bring?"

"And if we are never able to adopt all of them?"

"Then we will love them, take them in when they want a home to come back to for the holidays, and stay in touch with them when they're not with us enough that they can't tell the difference," he assured her.

"Does this mean we've made our decision?" she asked.

"Yes."

"We are going to be parents?" her voice was laced with awe at the thought.

"Yes."

"And we can go back to being partners in the field?"

"Definitely."

"Seeley, I'm going with you to interrogate Graft," she said, her eyes getting that determined look that he had come to know and love, "We can link him to at least three of the murders and if turns out he didn't kill Candie, then I will do everything in my power to find her killer and bring him to justice as well!"

"I wouldn't want it any other way, Bones," he told her sincerely.


	28. A Real Family

After simply holding each other for a long time, they ate a light dinner and spent the rest of the night enjoying the fact that they were alone. She offered him another foot massage and he accepted, and the end result was the same as the first time. They had to be careful, of course, to accommodate Seeley's still-fragile ribs, but with a little experimentation, they managed just fine.

"I wonder if this is what our honeymoon will end up being," Seeley mused as she lay in his arms the next morning. She shot him a quizzical look and he continued, "Well, it's like we get one day here, another day somewhere else. I guess it just seems like we're getting it piecemeal instead of all at once."

"Well," she said, her head resting on his good shoulder, "I suppose it does seem that way, though given our mutual history it's not so wholly unexpected."

"No," he kissed the top of her head lightly, "As soon as everything's healed up and the case is squared away, though, I'm kidnapping you for two weeks."

"Hmm," she smiled at the prospect, "And what will those two weeks of captivity be comprised of?"

He didn't answer her in words, but rather brought his lips down to meet hers. She leaned into the kiss, giving him full access to her mouth. Their tongues danced as hands roved. Her foot slid down the length of his tibia, eliciting a soft groan from his lips as the rest of his body responded to her subtle invitation. Two months of observing his body language in bed brought a playful grin to her face as she anticipated what was to come.

Her grin- and what was to follow- was cut short by the ring of a cell phone from across the room.

"That's yours," she informed him.

He started to sit up, then winced in pain, so she motioned for him to lay back down.

"Seeley Booth's phone, Temperance speaking," she answered.

It was Cullen, so she walked the phone over to the bed and handed it to her husband. Seeley frowned when she started picking their clothes up off of the floor where they had been quickly discarded the night before, but nodded in approval as she opted to don his t-shirt instead of her own.

Deciding that she would leave the men to their conversation distraction-free, she surveyed the room. It really was quite opulent, even compared to some of the hotels that she had been put up in over the years. She estimated that the floor-space was close, if not equal to her apartment back in Washington, and the furnishing were definitely more expensive. Despite the formality, however, the furniture was comfortable, and the space well-used.

Moving over into the kitchen area, she made herself a cup of instant coffee and helped herself to a bowl of Cheerios from the pantry. As Seeley was still on the phone, she settled down into one of the plush couches in the sitting area, placing her mug carefully on the glass coffee table in front of her.

Her thoughts drifted to the upcoming move. They had decided last night that everything but her clothes and personal toiletries that had originally come from her apartment would be sent back there and the rest would go to Booth's townhouse. Of course now they would also need to send Sadie's things to his townhouse too. As the townhouse had three bedrooms, and a basement for storage, they decided that would be the best house for them to move into initially. Part of Seeley's convalescence over the past two weeks had been spent scouring the internet for houses, though as yet they had not found anything that they both agreed on.

"Hey," Seeley's voice cut into her thoughts as he joined her on the couch, "You look like you're trying to solve the world's problems over here."

She shook her head, "I'm contemplating our housing situation."

"Ah," he nodded knowingly, "Well, looks like things'll be tight in the townhouse for a little bit, but we'll manage," she looked at him questioningly and he elaborated, "Cullen approved our plan for the kids and will start working tomorrow to get all of the paperwork going. He said the guardianship papers should be a snap since we're their foster parents already, though Sadie's paperwork might take a little longer.

"Our standing orders right now are to bring all of the kids back to DC with us so everything can get sorted out," he took a sip of her coffee before continuing, "Cullen also said he'd call the Milton Hershey School and make sure that Maddie and Joey get in ASAP, though we kind of have to go by their schedule on that end, which is why I said it might be tight there at the house for a little bit."

She nodded and set her empty bowl down on the coffee table and sighed, "Selecting and purchasing a house is not as easy as I had originally anticipated."

He smirked and pulled her close to him, "We're two separate people with two separate tastes-"

"And two separate views as to how to finance a house," she interrupted.

"Yeah," he smiled, "That too. I just want this house to be a little part of both of us."

"_You_ want to be the alpha male and pay for the entire thing yourself, which is ridiculous given my financial status," she accused lightly.

"And _you_ are not seeing that this is a guy thing," he tapped her nose, "I want to provide this for you, for _us_. I didn't marry you for your money, Temperance."

They'd covered this topic before and were still at an impasse, though at least this time around they hadn't raised their voices. The first time- about a week after he'd been released from the hospital- it had degenerated into a yelling match that had ended when she had stomped out of the spare room and left him to sleep alone that night. They'd apologized in the morning, but had never really resolved the root issue.

"What if," she suggested, trying to devise a compromise, "I fund the house and then leave you to pay for all of the monthly bills that are incurred?"

"That might work," he conceded, "Though I'm still not sure if I'd really want you paying for the whole thing."

"Seeley," she tried reasoning with him, "It makes no sense whatsoever to take out a mortgage when we already have the money."

"_You_ have the money," she heard him murmur.

She stood up abruptly, leaving him stewing on the couch. A week ago when they had first had this argument, she had called Angela, unsure of what she was doing that could make her new husband so mad. Angela had patiently explained aspects of the male ego that Temperance had been previously unaware of, though the artist had staunchly refused to give her a solution to the problem. That, Ange had told her before they hung up, was something that Temperance needed to work out on her own.

Moving over to where her overnight bag lay, she opened the front compartment and nervously pulled out the manila envelope that she had prepared, hoping that this was the correct decision to be making. She had more faith in Seeley Booth than any other person in her life, and yet realistically Seeley was just as fallible as any other man. Shoving aside the remaining dregs of doubt that clung in the back of her mind, she closed the compartment, pulled the envelope close to her chest, and moved back over to where he still sat on the couch.

"Here," she said simply, handing him the large envelope.

She studied his face as he opened it- watched as his frustration turned to confusion, which turned to intense concentration, and finally, awe.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"If you think that it means I have added your name to all of my assets, then yes," she nodded, "Obviously you will need to sign on the lines indicated and the papers will have to be processed, but-" she stopped, as an unfamiliar expression crossed his face. She took his hand into hers and their eyes met, "Did I err in some way?"

"No," he shook his head, "I'm just trying to process all of this. I mean, this is a lot of money, Bones. Are you sure-"

She laughed despite the gravity of the situation, "Yes, though you know quite well how successful both of my careers are, so I'm not sure why the sum of money astounds you so much."

"I knew," he was stuttering now, "But I didn't, you know, _know_! So all of this is now-"

"Ours," she finished for him gently, "It's ours. And please, I know that this was not your intent in marrying me, but it is mine to share freely," she scooped up the papers and moved them aside, then closed the distance between them, "I want to do this. For you- for us. I don't want money to become something that we are constantly arguing over or something that somehow causes you to feel like less of a man- though I still don't understand that line of reasoning. "

"Won't this put you at risk financially?" he questioned, repeating one of her old mantras.

"I trust you," she told him honestly.

"Then I accept," a genuine smile spread across his face, "Though I still don't want a mansion."

"That's fine," she said, trying to sound casual, "I wouldn't want to clean a mansion anyway. Though a house with a large basement would be preferable."

"Why's that?"

"You will need a place to house your large television and I can assure right now it won't be in our living room!"

He laughed softly so as not to disturb his healing ribs and nodded in agreement. As one they stood, and began getting ready for the day. After a brief shower they began packing their things to return to the safe house. They had accomplished a great deal in the last twenty-four hours, and she could tell that they both wished to stay longer, but it was time to go back.

An hour later they left the hotel hand-in-hand. The mood on the return trip was much lighter than it had been the day before. Surprisingly, she felt extremely satisfied that they would soon be joint heirs of the fortune she had spent amassing over the last several years, and it seemed that he was growing comfortable with the idea as well.

They arrived back out the safe house to be greeted almost as soon as they exited the car. Parker, Maddie, and Joey began regaling them with the exploits of their day, while Sadie climbed up into Temperance's arms, resting her small head on Temperance's shoulder. A warmth crept over the forensic anthropologist as they moved toward the house when she realized that Sadie would soon be her daughter. The two of them had bonded closely and she was relieved that she would not have to place Sadie into anyone else's care.

After dinner that night, they bid goodbye to Angela and Hodgins and the couple sat down with all of the children and relayed the decisions that had been made that concerned them. She described the school that Maddie and Joey would be attending, explaining that Sadie was too young to attend. Seeley made sure to assure them that they would come and live in DC with the Booths during the holidays and over summer vacation. He then gently told them that they would be adopting Sadie, and that they would be Maddie and Joey's legal guardians.

"How come we can't live with you all the time?" Joey wanted to know.

Temperance opened her mouth to answer, but someone else spoke up first.

"I don't get to live with them all the time either," Parker said to the amazement of the two oldest Lane children, "I live with my mom most of the time, and I'll only see my dad and Dr. Bones every other weekend. It's not too bad, really, and your school sounds way cooler than mine!"

Both of the other children looked very relieved, and somehow comforted by the knowledge that even Parker- Seeley's biological son- did not live with him on a regular basis.

As they all stood to get ready for bed, a cloud passed over Joey's face and he looked directly at the FBI agent, "Can I still call you, Daddy?"

"Of course," Seeley bent down and engulfed the small boy in his embrace, then moved over to include Maddie as well, "You both can. We're a family, after all."

"YAY!" Joey jumped up and down excitedly, "Did you hear that, Maddie? Did ja? We're gonna have a real daddy! We've never had a real daddy before! And Dr. Bones is gonna be our Mommy now that Mama can't take care of us anymore! And Parker's our brother now too!"

A small smile blossomed on Maddie's face as she watched her younger brother dance all the way up the stairs and into his bedroom.

Later, as the two adults were tucking Maddie into bed, she looked up at them with tears shimmering in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Temperance asked gently, brushing a tear off of Maddie's cheek as it fell.

"We've had a Mommy and a Pop and a Nana before," Maddie said quietly, "But we've never had anybody who loved us- not enough to be a real family."

Maddie's tears became full-fledged sobs as she flung herself into the arms of her new parents. They held her between them as she cried. Temperance knew what those cries were; they were the same ones she had cried when she finally let herself accept that neither her parents nor Russ were coming back for her. Back then, her tears had fallen unheard in her bedroom at one of her many foster homes, with no one to comfort her.

Unwilling to let her new ward suffer the same things, Temperance picked the seven year-old up, placed her gently in her lap, and held her until the cries subsided. When Maddie had finished, Seeley enveloped both females in a large hug. For the first time since she had come under their care, Maddie turned and threw her arms around Seeley's neck, planting a kiss on his cheek. The girl then turned and repeated the actions with Temperance before crawling back underneath of her bedcovers.

Quietly, the adults rose, each planting one last kiss on Maddie's brow before wishing her a good night's sleep. As they closed the doors, Temperance and Seeley shared a smile and she knew that- no matter what terms were used on the official documents- they were now a true family.


	29. Questioning

The next week, for Booth, was hectic and slow at the same time. It was hectic because there were boxes to pack, details to smooth out, plus the kids still had to be carted back and forth to school and helped with their homework. It was slow, because Booth's ribs were still healing, and because he wanted to be cleared for work on Monday, he basically just sat around and watched all of the activity happen around him.

The move itself went smoothly. Booth was shocked to see the trucks roll in right at nine, and by ten they were on the road. Fortunately, Beltway traffic was light and they managed to make it back to DC by lunchtime. Parker begged to go to the diner before he had to go home to Rebecca, and after a quick phone call it was decided that Rebecca would meet them at the diner and eat with them.

Booth found a parking spot nearby, and the hungry crew piled out of the car and into the diner. Parker led the way to their usual table, though when they got there they realized that they would need two tables to fit everybody in. Booth took Joey and Parker with him at one table, while the girls all sat at the other one.

"Dr. Brennan! Agent Booth!" Marie, their regular waitress greeted them, "I haven't seen you two in forever! And who are these beautiful guests you've brought with you?" she winked at the kids.

"Marie," Booth grinned, "I'd like you to meet Maddie, Joey, and Sadie Lane-"

"Agent Boof is our Daddy now," Joey interrupted, his face beaming with joy, "And Dr. Bones is our Mommy."

"Wow, you two have been busy," Marie looked surprised, but managed a smile for each of the kids, "It's a pleasure meeting all of you and when you decide what you want to eat, you just let me know, all right?" Heads bobbed at both tables as the waitress continued, "Now, Parker, honey, do you want your usual, or would you like something special today?"

"My usual," Parker giggled, "But I want a chocolate milkshake to go with it, please."

Marie nodded, snapping her gum as she took orders from everyone else. Just as she had finished, Rebecca came to join them and added her order to the growing list. Parker hugged his mom tightly and insisted that she join him at his table. He then plopped himself on Rebecca's lap and proceeded to give her a rundown of all that had taken place over the past two months.

Rebecca nodded, taking in every word that Parker said as she ran her fingers idly through his curls, though she looked as if she was just glad that he was back whole and healthy. Parker introduced her to each of the Lane kids as his new siblings and gleefully told her that Dr. Bones was his new step-mom. Rebecca took it all in stride, shaking hands with the two older kids and patting little Sadie's head. She and Bones shared a smile when Parker started describing the wedding.

The meal was a loud, messy event, but the kids had fun and the adults got to catch up with one another. By the end, everyone was full and ready to go home. When it was time to leave, Parker gave both Booth and Bones huge hugs. Rebecca promised him that he would see them soon and Bones offered to let him help her get Sadie and Joey in their car seats before he left. He jumped at the opportunity and Bones herded him, along with the other three, out of the diner and toward the car.

"Seeley," Rebecca put her hand on Booth's arm as they started for the exit too, "Thank you for taking care of him."

Booth nodded, and they shared a smile watching as Parker and Bones put the kids in the car and got Parker's suitcase out of the trunk.

"You've got a beautiful family, there," Rebecca told him.

"Parker won't get lost in the shuffle," he said immediately.

"I know," Becca said confidently before turning to face him, "I'm happy for you, Seeley."

"Thanks," he smiled, though inwardly he was heaving a sigh of relief that there was no lingering jealousy to deal with.

"She's perfect for you," Becca nodded at Bones, who had gotten everyone buckled in, had arranged Parker's things neatly piled on the sidewalk, and was giving him a hug, "And she's good for Parker too."

With that, Rebecca left, moving over to help Parker gather his stuff and take it over to her car. Once he was sure she had everything under control, he gave Parker one last hug and bid them both good bye, though he couldn't tear his eyes off of his son until they had pulled safely away and were out of sight.

"Are you alright?" Bones came up and stood beside him, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," he assured her as they headed toward the car, "Now, let's go home."

The rest of the afternoon was busy. No sooner had they gotten everyone into the townhouse and settled then Cullen called, informing Booth that he had an afternoon appointment with a local physician to officially clear him for duty on Monday. Bones assured him that she would be fine with the kids and he promised to bring home take out for dinner.

Thanks to rush hour traffic, it was six before Booth got back home, but no one seemed to mind too much once he pulled out the food. He'd gotten a pizza for the kids and Thai food for him and Bones. The table was crowded, but the food was good and he was pleased to see the kids adapting so quickly. Not long after dinner the adults announced it was time for bed. Weary from the trip and all of the day's activities, the kids barely put up a fight and were in bed in no time.

"I take it you were cleared for duty?" Bones asked, as they lay in bed later that night.

"Yup," Booth affirmed, "I have to take it easy, and it'll still be a few more weeks before I'm cleared for the field, but everything's healing like it should so I can go back to work."

"Good," she smiled.

"When are you heading back to the Jeffersonian?" he asked.

She frowned, "Cam told me to take as much time as I need, and it _would_ be much easier if I wait until after Maddie and Joey are at their new school as one of us will need to remain home with them."

"Yeah," Booth agreed, "Cullen said the school does have two openings right now, so we can take them up any time after tomorrow."

"Sunday or Monday?" she asked.

Booth sighed heavily, "We should probably go on Sunday. I know it'll be a lot of traveling for them, but the longer they stay here the harder it'll be for them to leave."

"Yes," she said a hint of sadness in her voice.

He held her close and rubbed her back. This wasn't going to be easy on any of them. They turned off the lights and went to sleep.

Saturday was a flurry of activity, as moving boxes were unpacked and Maddie and Joey's clothes were repacked into suitcases for them to take with them to school. None of the kids were happy about the news that they would be leaving so soon, but Bones assured them that Thanksgiving wasn't too far off and then they could come back again. Booth called the school and made arrangements to meet with each of the house parents the next day. Cullen personally brought over the guardianship papers for the Booths to sign, along with all of the paperwork that had to be filled out for the school.

All too quickly, it was Sunday morning and time to leave. The three hour car ride was very subdued compared to the trip to DC, but the couple tried to encourage Maddie and Joey as much as they could. Both sets of house parents were waiting for them when they arrived and immediately Booth knew that the kids would be in good hands. There were hugs and tears all around, but by the time they left, the kids seemed to be comfortable with their new house parents, and excited with what they had been told about the school.

It was close to midnight when they pulled back into the townhouse's driveway. Booth carried a sleeping Sadie up the stairs to her room, and was relieved when she didn't stir at all. He kissed her forehead softly and crept out of the room.

"Cullen left a message on the machine," Bones informed him as they readied for bed, "He wanted to confirm that Graft will be at the Hoover for you to interrogate tomorrow afternoon."

"Good," Booth said, despite his fatigue, "I'm ready to nail him to the wall."

"I would like to be there as well," she told him in a voice that said she'd be there no matter what his opinion was.

"Then let's get some sleep," he smiled, "It's gonna be a long day tomorrow."

By seven-thirty the next morning, Booth, Bones, and Sadie were up, dressed, fed, and on their way to the Hoover Building. Dropping Sadie off at the on-site daycare was a lot harder than Booth thought it would be. Sadie clung to Bones like a barnacle, and it took both of them to pry her off and hand her over. Fortunately, Anita- the grandmotherly woman who ran the program- was not phased at all by Sadie's cries and promised to call the couple once the little girl had calmed down so they wouldn't spend all morning worrying about her.

They were just stepping out of the elevator on their way to Booth's office when the call came, and Anita assured them that Sadie was calm and playing happily with some of the other children. Beside him, Bones sagged in relief just the slightest bit and he squeezed her hand in encouragement.

As they walked back to his office, his coworkers greeted them with smiles, offering congratulations on both their marriage, and cracking the case. There were a few whose smiles weren't quite as genuine, but he figured those were the ones who had lost money in the office pool. He prayed fervently that _no one_ would bring that up while Bones was in the building; though he was willing to bet money that the Jeffersonian had had a similar pool too. Finally, they reached his office and he closed the door to a series of raised eyebrows and suggestive looks.

"Seeley," Bones looked at him as he collapsed in his office chair, "Why were your colleagues sticking their thumbs up at you and leering as you closed the door? Do they truly believe we are going to have inter-"

He stopped her with an upheld hand before she could finish the question, "First, um, no, though they might think that we're going to make out or something, you never know. Second, they were giving us a 'thumbs-up' not the finger."

"It's still rather juvenile," she said with a roll of her eyes, "In the Middle East, West Africa, South America, Sardinia, Greece and Iran, inverting one's thumb is the foulest of their hand gestures and roughly translates to our use of the phrase 'Up yours.' In Shakespeare's England, biting one's thumb was also comparable to raising the middle finger here in America. The Chinese use the pinky finger."

"I'll make travel notes," Booth grinned, shaking his head in amusement.

"Perhaps it would be best if we kept your office door open so that our behavior does not appear unprofessional," she suggested.

"Up to you, Bones," he shrugged, "We've got a lot to go over this morning, though, and I'd like to be able to work without interruptions."

"I believe I would be more comfortable with it open," she said, a concerned look on her face, "If we are to maintain our credibility it would be best to conduct ourselves in the most professional manner possible."

"You're my wife," he told her, getting up to open the door, "I'm pretty sure there's nothing scandalous about kissing my own wife in my own office."

"Perhaps if we did not work together, that would be true," she offered him a smile as he opened the door, "However, I am not entirely comfortable with the prospect."

"Now that," he said, coming back around to sit at his desk, "I can respect, because it's your opinion and not anybody else's being forced on us."

She smiled gratefully at him, and heaved the large file that they had compiled over the last two months up onto the desk. They spent the rest of the morning going over all of the questions they wanted to touch on during the interrogation. Occasionally, someone would pass by and wave or congratulate them, but on the whole they were left alone, and no more suggestive comments or gestures arose.

Lunch was a quick run into the diner, which they both agreed felt good to be able to do again, though Booth lamented that they didn't have time for pie. At 12:59, they stood outside the small interrogation room, prepping themselves for what was to come.

"Okay," Booth said, running his hand through his hair, "You ready for this?"

She shrugged, appearing much calmer than him, "We've done this numerous times before, Booth, and he certainly could not be any more intimidating than Howard Epps, or some of the other criminals we've interrogated."

"Right," he nodded, trying to convince himself, "So in there we're Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan?"

"I believe that's the most professional approach to take," she confirmed.

"Let's do it, then."

They shared a smile and the look in her eyes told him that she was just as determined as he was to get everything right. He took one last, deep breath, smoothed out his tie, and headed into the lion's den.

Graft was sitting at the table, his back facing them for the moment, legs splayed out in front of him as if he was lounging at the beach. His blond hair had been given a prison makeover, but Booth noticed that he still wore the same overconfident smirk that he'd had on his face when he'd cornered Booth in the hall.

"See the wife got you all patched up," Graft said as they sat down opposite him, his eyes roving hungrily up and down the scientist's body, "You ever get bored of government-issue lovin', you just give Zane a call, honey."

"Hey," Booth banged his hand on the table twice in front of the man, "Eyes up here, Graft, and if I were you, I'd show _Dr. Brennan_ a little bit of respect."

"You gonna bust my family jewels again if I don't?" the man scoffed.

"Nah," Booth shook his head and leaned back in his chair, "I'll leave that to her, though she's been known to break wrists when properly encouraged."

Graft eyed both of them skeptically, then shrugged his shoulders, "So what can I do for the illustrious FBI this fine afternoon?"

"Got some pictures for you look at," Booth said, laying out the most grotesque shots they had from each of the three crime scenes, "Any of this ring a bell?"

"Well," Graft fingered the photo of a bloated Paul Zap the day he'd been pulled out of the Bay, "Looks like this fellow here tried to go swimming in above his depth, and these here," he tapped each of the Lane grandparents on the forehead, "Had an unfortunate hunting accident. The skel looks like it's seen better days too, though I'm sure the distinguished Dr. Brennan would know more about such things than little ol' me."

"She would," Booth nodded, then pointed back at the pictures, "Notice anything similar going on here?"

"Hmm," Graft pretended to look intently at the photos, "Is this like that game on Sesame Street, 'cause I never could guess which one didn't belong before the song was finished?"

Bones looked confused but Booth pressed forward, "Funny. Except I never said that one of them didn't belong."

"Guess I was better than I thought," Graft said, a little of the ego gone.

"Guess so," it was Booth's turn to smirk, "Now that you bring it up, though, I am seeing a common theme. Agent Zap, here, shot with his own weapon, same for the Lanes," he tapped both pictures, "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the same way _you_ went after _me_ the last time we met?"

"With all the drugs they pumped in me that night, my memory's a little fuzzy," Graft tapped his forehead.

"Perhaps this will ameliorate it," Bones spoke up, just as they'd planned, slipping another photo onto the table.

This one was not a corpse, but rather an extremely clear view of Graft holding Booth's service pistol to the Agent's head. They had found it sifting through the security footage from Booth's office down in Lusby.

"Word of advice," Booth said, "Signature moves might seem fancy, but they give us an awful lot to work with at the trial."

"Not to mention," Bones followed his lead, "These executions were clearly performed by a left-handed killer, which you've proven you are."

"Carrying the diary pages around in your back pocket didn't help much either," Booth put in, "We've got Zap's code, Candie's handwriting, and the Lanes' fingerprints all over those pages."

Graft's face became a stone and silence fell like an anvil on the small room.

"Ya know," Booth said casually, "What I can't figure out is how a part time con-man who's got nothing on his record but some speeding tickets and a few bounced checks becomes a hit-man for a major, drug syndicate?"

"Change of scenery," the man grunted, knowing full-well that Booth had him where he wanted him.

"Better pay would've been my guess," Booth countered, "Though you'll get your change of scenery now too. Four counts of murder plus assaulting a Fed," he shook his head and clicked his tongue reprovingly, "Hope you like the prison motif 'cause that's all you'll be seein' for a long time."

"Three," the man muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Booth asked.

"These," Graft pointed to the pictures of Zap and the Lanes, "They're mine. I had nothin' to do with your skel."

Booth hid a grin at the confession, but looked up at Graft curiously, "Wanna fill in the blanks for me? 'Cause the jury's gonna want to know how she turned up dead if you didn't do it."

"Look," Graft said, the wind completely gone from his sails, "All I know, is she was gone by the time I got there. I've got her pimp's name if you want it, but that's it."

"You're a true citizen after all, Graft," Booth said, pushing the button under the table that signaled to the waiting officers that they were done, "It's been a pleasure."

"Right," the man grunted as he wrote down a name and phone number on the paper Booth provided for him.

As the waiting officers entered the room and escorted Graft out, Booth beamed at his partner.

"Well, Bones," he said as she gathered up the photos and put them back in the file, "I'd say it's time to call ourselves a pimp."

"Fine," she nodded back at him, "But you are _not_ using my cell phone!"

"Now, Bones," he slung an arm around her shoulder as they headed back to his office, "Would I _ever_ do something like that?"

"You would and you have," she retorted, slipping out of his grasp, "And the last time I had to explain to Goodman exactly why I was contacting prostitutes from a phone that was provided for me by the Jeffersonian."

"I'm sure Cam'll be much more understanding," he teased.

She frowned deeply, and they continued bickering about it all the way back to his office, never noticing the trail of laughter and knowing looks that they left in their wake.


	30. Going Home

Tuesday morning turned into a futile search for Candie Lane's pimp. The number that Graft had given them had since been disconnected, and no new number was left. Temperance and Seeley spent the morning at the Hoover Building, in an attempt to track down the name that Graft had given them. They did stumble across an old website that was registered to the man, but again the information was not current and the only consolation that they had was that it was the same information that Graft had volunteered. By one that afternoon they still had gotten nowhere, and Cullen ordered Seeley to go home and rest.

The afternoon consisted of Temperance completing one domestic task after another. There were groceries to be purchased, clothes to be laundered, dishes to be washed, and then, of course, there was Sadie. They found out very quickly that Seeley's townhouse was had little or no safety precautions in place in regards to an active toddler. Sadie was fascinated with the electrical outlets, and several times Temperance intercepted her just as she was attempting to put things into her mouth that she should not. The little girl also discovered that she could open the flimsy door on the entertainment center. By the time either of the adults realized what was occurring, Sadie had managed to relieve the shelves of each and every DVD. She protested loudly as Seeley removed her from the area.

As soon as Sadie was in her crib for the night, the couple wasted no time making the bottom floor a safer environment for her to play in. Seeley located several plastic devices that fit into the electrical sockets that he'd had from when Parker was young, and they moved the DVD player along with his extensive movie collection up onto one of the entertainment center's higher shelves. It was ten o'clock at night when she and Seeley collapsed on his bed, exhausted from the day's activities. Within minutes she fell into a fitful sleep.

Her dreams that night were vivid. First, she found herself in a house that had a continuous flow of laundry and dishes. Every time she would attempt to leave the house, more work would pile up, leaving her feeling imprisoned, even though she was not physically shackled. The dream shifted, and instead of being surrounded by laundry and dishes, four children encircled her. Parker and Maddie were pleading for her assistance with their homework, while Joey assailed her with an endless stream of questions and Sadie begged to be held. To her horror, she looked down and discovered that her abdomen was swollen with child, and all the while Seeley waxed on and on about the virtues of domesticity and family life.

She awoke in a cold sweat, restless, and not at all refreshed. The bedside clock informed her that it was just after four in the morning, but the threat of more distressing dreams dismissed any thought of trying to go back to sleep. Instead, she slipped out of bed, closing the door softly behind her as she left the room.

Once downstairs, she tried to get her breathing and her heart rate back under control but found it to be nearly impossible. Every room that she went in reminded her of some aspect of the dream, to the point where she began to feel confined. The rings that encircled her finger felt constrictive and she fought the urge not to rip them off and fling them out a window.

Suddenly, she remembered that one of the tasks they had performed the day before was retrieving Seeley's SUV from where the FBI had stored it during their extended absence. The Highlander had remained in their possession for the time being, leaving them with two vehicles at their disposal. Without a second thought, she donned her jacket and a pair of tennis shoes and quietly left the house. She transferred Sadie's car seat from the Highlander to Seeley's SUV before backing out of the driveway.

Before she knew it, she was pulling into to her apartment complex parking lot. She parked in her usual space and walked briskly up several flights of steps until she arrived at her front door. To her relief, her apartment key was the first one she selected, and the door opened with no problem at all.

As soon as she walked across the threshold, her body relaxed for the first time in several hours. It appeared that Angela had been there and unpacked all of the boxes from the move, returning everything to its proper place. She collapsed on her couch, drinking in the ordered tranquility the apartment provided. Seeley was by no means a sloppy man, but their ideas on what constituted a clean environment were vastly different, and it felt good not to be surrounded by clutter.

A brand new edition of the forensic journal that she subscribed to beckoned to her from the neatly stacked mail on the kitchen counter and she could not resist. Rising slowly from the couch, she took her journal in hand and went back to draw herself a bath, complete with scented oils. A half an hour later, she emerged from the bathroom feeling much more content and at ease than she had in the last two months.

It felt luxurious to sift through her closet and select an outfit for the day. As Kelly Keller, her clothes had been confined and unvarying to her way of thinking, and it felt good to be able to dress according to her own tastes once again. Though a good amount of her toiletries and accessories were at Seeley's house, she managed to improvise and was extremely pleased with the final results.

Emboldened and empowered from being surrounded by her own things again, she searched the apartment until she found the one thing in the world she knew she needed most right now. That accomplished, she found a pair of shoes that matched her outfit, put on her coat, and made sure all of the lights had been turned off before leaving the comfort of her apartment behind her.

The only other people who were at the Jeffersonian when she arrived were those who worked security and the cleaning crew. Fortunately, the lab had been cleaned by the time that she arrived so she could revel in the solitude. She swiped her card through the reader and stepped up onto the forensic platform. The sight of the gleaming stainless steel calmed her and the purified air cleansed her lungs. Finally, she was home.

She stood there, simply existing for a long moment and allowed her mind to wander. More than her own apartment, and certainly more than Seeley's townhouse, this was where she felt the most at peace and- if she was being honest- where her sense of identity lay. In this laboratory she had forged a career and made a name for herself in the scientific community. In the sequestered depths of Limbo she had scrutinized countless bodies from various time periods and geographic locations and had returned them safely to their families. From her office, she had written books that had spawned a connection to the outside world that she could never have conceived. And on this platform, she had formed relationships that transcended the work environment- a second family that she held every bit as dear as her biological one.

Mounting the steps that led to her office, she grinned ruefully, her mind not allowing her to dismiss what else had occurred in this lab. Seeley Booth had become just as much a part of what went on here as anything else, and memories from different stages in their partnership engulfed her as she unlocked her office door and stepped through it.

Nothing had been moved in her absence, though she swore the pile of paperwork had increased. From the corner, the mummy stared back at her, ever the faithful sentry and all of her reference books were exactly where she where she had left them. Hanging up her jacket and purse, she slipped off her shoes, suddenly remembering why they had been stored in the back of her closet. Feet unbound, she inspected the contents of her desk. Mail had piled up, of course, though thanks to e-mail she had managed to maintain all of her important correspondences. She leafed through it briefly, but saw nothing that required her immediate attention.

Not quite ready to relinquish herself to her work, she moved over to her couch. As she sat down, a yawn escaping her, she wondered how many hours she had spent sleeping there over the years. Another yawn escaped, reminding her of how little sleep she had gotten the night before. Without a second thought, she stretched herself along its familiar length, pulled the blanket over her, and laid her head down on the armrest. The last conscious thought she had was that the blanket smelled like a comforting mixture of her perfume and Seeley's cologne.


	31. Talk to Me

When Booth woke up Wednesday morning to his alarm clock, his was not entirely surprised to see that Bones was not in bed with him. He'd felt her tossing and turning beside him all night and he'd felt the mattress shift when she'd gotten up early that morning. Dragging himself out of bed, he made his way over to the bathroom and grabbed a quick shower. A part of him hoped she would come and join him, but she didn't, so he toweled off, put on clean boxers, and went downstairs for breakfast.

"Bones," he called as he reached the kitchen, surprised to find no evidence of her being there this morning, "Bones?"

He started the percolator and moved to the dining room, but she wasn't there either. In fact, he realized when he reached the living room, it was starting to look like she wasn't in the house at all. A thought hit him and he rushed over to the front door and yanked it open. Sure enough, the Highlander was missing from the driveway, and he could see the outline of Sadie's car seat through the SUV's tinted windows.

A giggling sound from across the street reminded him that he was standing outside in nothing but his boxers. He waved sheepishly to the group of high school girls waiting for the bus and retreated into the house as quickly as he could. The embarrassment didn't last long, however, as his brain tried to figure out where in the world Bones was.

The dry gurgling of the percolator informed him that his coffee was done. Pouring himself a mug, he took a long, deep drag, ignoring his mouth and throat's screaming protest at the hot liquid. As the caffeine began coursing through his body, the sleepy fog that had surrounded him started to dissipate. His eyes roved around the kitchen for some sort of note that she might have left that would explain her absence, but he found nothing.

Next, he snatched his cell off of the kitchen counter and hit speed dial- only to hear her phone sound from somewhere in the living room. Cursing under his breath he decided to dial her apartment number on the off chance she'd gone there. After several rings her voice greeted him, but his relief was short-lived when he realized it was her answering machine.

He was trying to figure out where else she would be, when he hear a small voice start talking upstairs. Sighing, he downed the rest of the coffee and headed upstairs to get Sadie.

"Momma?" the little girl asked when he came into the room alone.

"That's the million-dollar question this morning, isn't it?" he replied, his ribs complaining ever so slightly as he scooped her out of the crib and set her on the floor.

She gave him a puzzled look and he half expected her to tell him that she didn't know what that meant. Part of him was amused by all of the mannerisms that Sadie had picked up on over the past two months, and the other part was trying not to think of all the things that could have happened to Bones in her unexplained absence.

He had just finished changing and dressing Sadie, when it suddenly hit him: if Bones was not here, had not run out to do a quick errand, and was not at her apartment, there was only one other place that she would be.

"Pack your diaper back, little lady," he told Sadie as he dressed himself as quickly as he could, "We're going to the Jeffersonian."

As if she understood what he was saying, Sadie began laughing and waving her arms up and down with glee. Grabbing her diaper bag, both cell phones, and his keys, he walked her out to the SUV. Fortunately for him, traffic was light and in no time at all, they were pulling into his space at the Jeffersonian.

"Momma!" she exclaimed suddenly as he unbuckled her.

He turned to see the Highlander parked in her space and smiled, "Yup, that's Momma's car, though if Momma ever does this to us again, we're going to implant a transponder in her so she can't disappear on us again."

Sadie had no response to that. They began walking together toward the entrance, but halfway there her energy flagged and he had to carry her the rest of the way. Sadie was enthralled with everything around her and kept reaching out to touch things, momentarily blocking his vision. It didn't bother him though; he'd been making the journey for so long he could've done it blindfolded.

"Ann Ann!" Sadie yelled loudly, squirming now to get out of Booth's arms.

He set her down, his ribs happy for the break, and watched as Sadie waddled as fast as she could toward the familiar face.

"Hey, beautiful," Angela swooped Sadie up and set her on her hip in one smooth motion, smiling at Booth, "Where's your Momma?"

"She's not here?" Booth forced down a wave of panic.

"Her office light's not on," Angela shrugged, "But we just got here, so I couldn't tell you for sure. I just figured she came in with you guys."

"Ange, Bones took off before I got up and I've been trying to track her down all morning," his voice was taut, the stress he'd been feeling leaking out whether he wanted it to or not, "Her car's in the parking garage."

"Then I'm sure she's here- it's Bren," Angela assured him, "Look, I know you two are married now and have been playing Stan and Suzie Suburbs for the last couple months, and I'm sure she did just fine because she had to. But you're home now, and she-" a smirk appeared on the artist's face, "Well, you know our girl can't stay away from here for too long."

Booth nodded, his nerves still calming down as the three of them entered Angela's office.

"What have you guys been up to since you got back?" Angela wanted to know.

Booth gave her a brief rundown of their weekend and the interview with Graft, then told her about their fruitless search for the pimp, Arthur Burke.

"What about chores?" Angela asked, "You know, dishes, laundry, that sort of thing?"

Booth thought back to yesterday, and all of the housework Bones had done, both before and after Sadie went to bed and it suddenly dawned on him why she had run off.

"I'm an idiot," he stood up from his chair, running his fingers through hair.

"Nah," she shook her head, "You're a good guy- you just forgot for a second who you married. Look, I'll watch Sadie here and you go track her down."

He smiled his thanks, then turned on his heel quickly, his long legs carrying him toward her office. As he approached, he noted that the lights were off just as Angela had said, but the knob turned at his bidding and he entered the office as quietly as he could.

The sight that greeted him melted all of the stress and worry from the morning away. She was asleep on the couch, her shoes abandoned by the desk, coat and purse hug neatly on the coat rack. A travel mug that he knew came from her apartment lay abandoned on the floor beside her. He moved closer to the couch, careful not to wake her, and sat on the floor beside her.

He sat, mesmerized by the way her hair framed her peaceful face. She was completely at ease and yet she seemed so vulnerable to him at the same time. Angela had been right. Bones needed her lab like it was oxygen, and it had never occurred to him how much she must have missed being away from it.

"It's highly rude to stare," her sleepy voice interrupted his reverie.

"You gonna punish me?" he grinned.

"Perhaps," she teased, propping herself up onto one elbow, "What are you doing here, Seeley?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Temperance," he kept his voice light, not wanting to start a fight, "You left without even a note."

"You could have called," she pointed out.

"I did," he smiled, digging out her cell phone and dangling it in front of her.

She snatched it away from him and frowned, "That still doesn't tell me what you are doing here."

"Hey," it was his turn to frown, "Like I said, you were the one who took off. I had no clue where you were Bones and I was starting to get worried."

"Well," she stood up, pushing the blanket off of her, "I would say that your need for worry is over now that you have found me. I _am_ fully capable of caring for myself, you know?"

"That," he said, stepping in front of her and using his height to his advantage, "Was never the point, Bones. The point was that last night we went to bed together and this morning I woke up alone with no clue where you were or if you were coming back," she tried to step away, but he blocked her, "Look, I get that you need to be here and I'm sorry that I didn't see it sooner, but we need a system so that I don't go crazy looking for you every time you want to come in early. We're home now," he reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ears.

She shook her head against his palm, and he was glad that he had shut the door on his way in, because it was looking like they were going to have a blowout right here and now. When she finally spoke, however, her voice was low and deadly serious.

"You are home," she stated, "Whereas I am still in transit."

He looked into her eyes, trying to decode what she was saying, but they were shuttered and unreadable. Sighing, he moved around her and sat down on the couch, pulling her to sit down beside him. Ever since he had gotten injured, all they had talked about was how good it would feel to be back in DC. Even after they'd decided to adopt Sadie, they had both agreed that their stress levels would drop once they got back to their old lives. Now they were back, but the stress was still there too and it was confusing the heck out of him.

"Talk to me," he took her hand in his lap, "Tell me what's wrong, Bones."

She looked away from him for a minute but didn't pull her hand back, so he waited patiently for her. Four long years of being partnered with this woman told him if he pushed her now, she very well might leave him for good.

"It's as I've already said," she spoke after several minutes, "You, indeed, have returned to your house and to your job. I, on the other hand, have not, and I feel as if I am being forced into becoming someone I can never be," he nodded, his eyes locked onto hers, inviting her to continue, "Last night I had a series of dreams in which I was forced into playing a domestic role only. Yesterday proved that our lives have shifted dramatically, even though we have returned to our native environment. I _am_ sorry that I caused you to worry unnecessarily this morning, however, I felt stifled in your townhouse to the point where it was difficult for me to breathe."

"So you went home?" he asked gently.

"To my apartment, yes," she nodded, "And then here."

The pieces were starting to come together now and he squeezed her hand.

"So what do I need to do to help you feel at home until we can get a place of our own?" he wanted to know, "Or do you just want to split our time between the two places until then?"

"That would hardly be stable for Sadie," she said slowly.

"This isn't about Sadie," he told her, "It's about you and me. Sadie'll adapt just fine to whatever we decide. You've got two bedrooms, right?" she nodded, so he continued, "Now that the other kids are off at school, there's no reason for us to stay exclusively at my place. We could even live just at yours if you wanted to."

He watched as her mind processed that scenario and knew she would turn it down before she opened her mouth.

"My apartment is less suitable for a young child," she shook her head.

"Mine wasn't up to par either," he grinned.

She was about to reply when the door opened and the object of their conversation toddled in, followed closely by Angela. The artist flipped on the lights.

"Oh good, you two are still decent," Angela smiled.

Bones glared at her friend, but her gaze softened as Sadie came around the side of the couch as fast as her little legs could carry her.

"Momma!" the little girl squealed with delight, crashing into the side of Bones' leg and wrapping her pudgy arms around it in a tight hug.

"Good morning, Sadie," Bones replied, placing Sadie on her lap, "How are you faring this morning?"

"Love lu," Sadie replied.

"I love you as well," Bones told the little girl, lifting her up so that Sadie's head could rest on her shoulder, "I apologize for abandoning you."

Booth watched as his wife pulled Sadie even closer to her, a tear glistening in her eye.

"Hey," he spoke softly, putting a hand on her knee, "You didn't abandon anyone, okay? You left to get a little bit of perspective, but those are two different things."

"He's right, sweetie," Angela said coming around to join them, "Now, cheer up. I think Sadie and I found your man for you."

Angela held out a file and Booth took it, opening it so that all of them could see. The photo of one Albert Burke stared back at them; a Phillies' hat covered his balding head.

"Says here, he was busted for solicitation back in the eighties in Philly," Booth read from the file, "But he's kept his nose clean since as far as his record's concerned."

"Simply because he has one solicitation charge against him, doesn't mean he is the man we are searching for," Bones said matter-of-factly, "And I do not see what his nasal hygiene has to do with his criminal record."

"It means he hasn't gotten in any trouble since then," Angela explained with a grin, "But it was _this_ part that caught my eye," she turned to the next page in the file and pointed, "I traced a few shadow companies in the area back to him, and the man owns a lot of real estate for someone who claims to be a lowly fitness manager at Bally's on his income taxes. And get this: he and a buddy of his have an online sex toy company."

"Can you pull it up for us here?" Booth's instincts kicked into high gear.

"Do bears bear? Do bees be?" Angela grinned widely, heading over to Bones' desk and booting up the computer.

Booth followed her, snickering.

"I don't know what that means," Bones said, coming to join them, Sadie perfectly content to stay in her arms.

"Bruce Willis," Angela supplied over her shoulder.

"Is he the one whose alter ego is Batman?" Bones asked, still sounding confused.

"No, sweetie, that's Bruce Wayne," the artist laughed, "Bruce Willis played a hot detective on TV who fell head over heels for his female partner."

"Ah," Bones replied in that odd voice she always used when she thought she had connected the dots, "You mean like Scully and Mulder?"

"Exactly," Booth answered quickly, glaring at Angela, "Is that the site?" he pointed to the computer monitor.

"Yup," Angela nodded, "Now, I didn't have time to look at this in-depth, but if you look at the coding they used, they're hiding something."

Booth and Bones waited patiently while Angela fiddled around with the site, occasionally typing things in. Eventually, she moved the cursor over to a seemingly blank space on one of the pages and clicked. A new window popped up, displaying the hidden site. A slideshow of scantily-clad girls took up most of the screen, and the number at the bottom matched the one that Graft had given to them.

"Momma!" Sadie yelled, startling all three adults.

The picture on the slideshow had changed and there in the center of a ring of girls was Candie Lane, an alluring smile on her face. Angela moved quickly, minimizing the window so that Sadie didn't see anything else.

"Can you get an IP address on that?" Booth was the first one to find his voice again.

"I can try," the artist answered, "But I can tell you right now it's being re-routed, so it'll take some time."

He nodded, figuring as much, "Do it."

Angela nodded, a determined look on her face, and left for her own office.

When Booth turned back around to look at Bones, she was studying the paper file again.

"He certainly has the necessary physique to have inflicted the damage we found on the skull," she said, more to herself than to him.

"We'll get him," Booth promised, kissing Sadie's forehead and taking her into his arms so that Bones would be free to look at the file.

"The address and phone number given are the ones we already have," she pointed out, "And we know that they are false."

"Angela will get the IP address for us," Booth said.

"I should re-examine the bones," she told him, slipping on her lab coat.

"Go," he smiled.

He dropped a quick kiss on her cheek as she was turning to leave the office and Sadie squealed with delight. Her cheeks pinked and she slapped his shoulder lightly, but he could see the grin playing at the corners of her mouth and knew he was safe from her wrath. She stroked Sadie's cheek, offered them both a smile, and left.

"Come on, kiddo," he set Sadie down on the floor and took her hand, "Let's go introduce you to the rest of the squint squad."


	32. Motherhood

Candie's bones had been moved to Limbo during Temperance's two-month absence. As the case had evolved to include more than one body, the lab's priorities had shifted, so she was not altogether surprised to find the bones here. The cool, familiar feel of latex helped prepare her for the task ahead as she slipped her hands into the gloves and removed the box from its shelf.

Far away from the prying eyes of curious spectators and the general chatter that occurred in the workplace, she was thankful to be here instead of out on the forensic platform. The silence here was thick, broken only by the soft clatter as she began laying the bones on the stainless steel table in front of her. When all of the bones lay before her, she drew a deep breath, readying herself for the exam.

She tried to convince herself that her nerves were due to the fact that she had not been to work in so long, and that this examination was no different than any other of the thousands like it that she had performed over the years, but it was a lie. Her cursory inspection began with the tibia, fibula, and femur on each leg, but her eyes were quickly drawn to the pelvic region. Here, she knew, was where she and Candie now shared a connection, as it spoke clearly that Candie had given birth multiple times.

Her thoughts strayed to Maddie, the shy girl who had idealized her mother for years and now missed her dearly. Temperance would never forget the night Maddie sobbed in her arms, and she knew all too well that the healing process was far from over. Joey's face sprung to mind next, prompting a frown. She wondered if Candie had realized the abuse that her parents had inflicted on Joey in her absence, though she was able to derive a small amount of comfort from the fact that she and Seeley had begun to ease that pain and banish his fears.

Finally, her thoughts centered on Sadie- the little girl who had clung to her and called her "Momma" from nearly the moment that they met. Their connection had been so deep that she had been unwilling to break it, choosing adoption over releasing Sadie back into foster care. She and Seeley had spent an hour yesterday filling out their end of the adoption paperwork at the Hoover Building after Cullen had informed them that Paul Zap's remaining family had waived their rights.

She looked back at Candie's remains, thinking how odd it was that very soon both of them could call Sadie their daughter. A wave of shame and regret broke over her, recalling her actions that morning. Candie, according to the evidence they had gathered, had been doing everything in her power to be able to have her children back in here care, where Temperance-for whom finances would never be a factor- had done nothing short of run away from her new maternal responsibilities.

True, she had missed her apartment and the lab and still felt very uncertain as to what her role was as a new wife and mother, but that did not give her a valid excuse for her actions. At the very least she should have had the courtesy to leave Seeley a note, and the longer she dwelt on it, the more she realized she should have gone to him and explained her feelings. In the four years that they had known each other he had never pushed her and his empathetic nature made him the perfect confidant for all of her anxieties.

Her eyes returned to the task in front of her and she reminded herself sternly that she was at work and had a job to accomplish. Setting aside all of the emotional bonds between herself and Candie, she forced herself to once again become the objective scientist. There was still a killer on the loose and if it was within her means to bring him to justice, she would.

Digital recorder in hand, she began recording her observations of the skeleton. Beginning with the bones of the foot, she moved upward, picking up each and every bone and inspecting them closely. Dictations were made and then doubly recorded on paper. Once she reached the skull, she stopped. During the short period of time between unearthing the body and being pulled away to Maryland, she had focused primarily on the skull. She did give it a cursory overview, and found that everything was consistent with her initial findings.

Satisfied that she had done all that she could with the naked eye, she began gently packing the bones back in the box. It was nearly one o'clock and she was surprised that Seeley had not come to get her for lunch yet. Hefting the box back onto the shelf and exiting Limbo, she decided that they would go and eat and work the rest of the case from Booth's townhouse so that he could rest his ribs. Tomorrow, she would subject the bones to the intense scrutiny of the forensic platform's digital imaging equipment, including the microscopes.

A child's laughter bounced off of the polished surfaces of the lab and reached her ears. She smiled, knowing that Sadie was close by and was not at all surprised to find Seeley and Sadie up on the platform, surrounded by Jack, Angela, and Cam. The little girl beamed on seeing Temperance and began trying to extricate herself from Seeley's arms.

Temperance waved to Sadie and increased her pace. Swiping her card through the reader, she mounted the steps.

"Momma!" Sadie gave her customary exclamatory greeting, still trying to free herself.

Temperance smiled widely and took Sadie from a very grateful looking Seeley into her own arms, relishing the feel of tiny arms around her neck. She planted a small kiss on the baby's cheek and turned to greet her colleagues.

"Hey, Dr. B," Jack smiled, "We just finished giving Sadie the grand tour."

"Yeah," Seeley nodded, "But every time we mentioned bones she'd perk up her head and start looking for you."

The group laughed.

Temperance turned to Cam, handing her the clipboard she had been writing on, "Here's a summary of my findings. There were not any discernable injuries apart from the defensive wounds on the phalanges and, of course, the skull. Tomorrow I would like to bring the bones up from bone storage and examine them more thoroughly."

"It's good to have you back," Cam nodded, hiding a smile and accepted the paperwork, "Are you planning on working full days from now on, or mornings only?"

"I'm not certain," she answered honestly, shooting a sidelong glance at her husband, "Se-Booth is only allowed light desk duty for right now and has only worked partial days so far, however, we have not had the opportunity to discuss our work schedules. Are there any pressing tasks that you have for me that I need to be aware of?"

Cam shook her head, "The only case on the docket right now is Candie Lane's. Dr. Edison and Mr. Bray have been handling all of the museum authentications, but I believe they have that firmly in hand. Paperwork is the only thing I can think of that I absolutely need from you and I don't have any problem with you doing it from home or wherever, just as long as it gets to me on time."

Temperance nodded, thankful that Cam was being accommodating and fair at the same time. She did not expect preferential treatment if there was work to be done. It was also comforting to know that Clark and Wendell had performed well in her absence. As soon as she had time to consult with Seeley on the matter, she planned on recommending both of them to fill the void that Zack had left in their team. Both men were fully capable, and she felt that the increase of case referrals thanks to her work with Seeley, not to mention the everyday tasks they were called on to handle for the Jeffersonian and other organizations, justified hiring both of them.

"Ready for some food, Bones?" Seeley's voice broke her train of thought and she nodded. "How about the rest of you?" he offered.

A look passed between the three others and Angela shook her head for the group, "Those of us who don't go around picking fights with hit men have work to do."

"I didn't pick a fight with a hit man," Temperance pointed out.

"Nope," Ange grinned, "But you married the man who did so you get to take care of him. Besides," she pointed to Sadie, who was rubbing her eyes, "I think somebody's had enough fun for one day."

A slight frown crossed Temperance's face, feeling as if she had become an outsider in the time that she had been away. Sadie began fussing, however, and one look at Seeley told her that he was close to overexerting himself as well. He wore his usual, jovial expression, but he was leaning heavily on the examination table, and his face was a shade paler than normal. Their eyes met and she nodded that she recognized it was time to leave.

"I will see you all tomorrow," she said as a way of parting.

Goodbyes were exchanged and everyone waved to Sadie, whose head was completely resting on her shoulder, eyes heavy with fatigue. Cam and Jack excused themselves to go back to work, while Angela left to procure their jackets and belongings from Temperance's office. When she returned, Angela graciously offered to take Sadie, allowing Temperance to put her own jacket on first and then Sadie's. She also had to aid Seeley, who was wincing in pain from his ribs.

Finally, everyone was ready to go.

Angela passed Sadie back to Temperance, "Take care of him for us, okay?" she whispered during the exchange.

"I'm not sure how proficient I will be," she admitted as Seeley made his way down the steps and toward the exit.

"You'll be fine, sweetie," Angela assured her, "He's through the worst part, now just make sure he doesn't overdo it."

She nodded in reply, thinking that usually Seeley was the one making sure that _she_ did not overdo things.

"Oh and, sweetie?" Angela said in a tone that was both lighthearted and serious, "Leave the poor boy a note next time."

Temperance smiled, "That I can do."

"Come on, Bones!" Seeley beckoned her, "I'm wasting away over here."

The two women shared a smile and rolled their eyes. Angela gave her one last reassuring embrace and she went to join her husband.

By the time they reached the parking garage, Seeley was grimacing with every step he took and Sadie was asleep in her arms. She placed Sadie gently in her car seat, fastening her securely, then informed Seeley that she would be driving them home. He pointed out that they had both vehicles with them, but she countered that they could easily come back for it at some future juncture. Tired, hungry, and sore, he acceded fairly swiftly after that, and handed over his keys.

On their way back home she stopped at the diner and ordered food to go, leaving Sadie and Seeley in the car. By the time she pulled into the townhouse's driveway she was the only occupant still awake. Quietly, she took in the food and set it on the counter. Next, she retrieved Sadie from her car seat and successfully transported her up the steps and into her crib without waking her. She crept down the stairs, wondering what she should do as far as Seeley was concerned, and was relieved to find him inside and picking at the food.

The meal was passed in silence, though Seeley smiled teasingly at her when she finished her soup and salad and began eating his fries. When they were both done, it took little convincing to send him upstairs for a nap. She saw to it that he took a dose of the painkillers that the doctors had prescribed, made certain that he was comfortable in the bed, and set a glass of water on the nightstand in case he grew thirsty. He thanked her and she smiled in return on her way out of the room.

Downstairs she cleaned up the remnants of lunch and went into the living room with her laptop to catch up on her e-mail correspondences. As the computer booted up she looked around the room. Only a few hours earlier this house had seemed oppressive and restrictive, and she began to ponder the steps necessary to keep those feelings at bay. She began to picture where she could place some of her own items from her apartment, as well as how she could soften the very masculine feel that the room exuded.

Reaching over for her purse, she retrieved two small items that she had impulsively taken from her apartment that morning. Looking around the room once more, she spotted a framed picture that Seeley had placed on top of the entertainment center yesterday during their cleaning spree. It was one that Angela had taken at their wedding, during the vow exchange. Seeley was holding her hand, and their eyes were locked on each other, their love abundantly evident. She placed one item on either side of the frame and settled back down on the couch.

Under the watchful eyes of Jasper and Brainy Smurf, she got to work, feeling for the first time since returning to Washington that even though she wasn't home, she was exactly where she belonged.


	33. Merging

Booth awoke in his bed feeling alert and refreshed. He glanced at the clock and was surprised to learn he had slept for two hours. He sat up slowly, alternately cursing Graft and his ribs. They were healing, but it was slow going and he was growing impatient. Spotting the water that Bones had left for him, he chugged it down in one take. It was lukewarm but he honestly didn't care.

Standing up, he took stock of himself in the mirror. His dress shirt and pants were rumpled, his face a shade paler than normal, and a five o'clock shadow was creeping up on him. He frowned as he tried to stand up straight and couldn't quite do it without a sharp pain ripping through him. He thought wryly that with all of the times his ribs had healed they should be used to it by now.

Changing carefully into a plain white tee shirt and sweatpants, he went in search of his wife. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding- the light was on in the living room and he could hear Bones typing up a storm on her laptop. He refilled his cup with cold water from the fridge and went to join her.

She was sitting on the couch, legs crossed, eyes intent on the screen in front of her as she attacked the keyboard. He was about to sit down next to her when a popping sound occurred, followed by a string of muttered curses.

"Brushing up on some new vocab for Sadie?" he teased, sitting down beside her.

The look she aimed at him could've melted her now-blank computer screen. He took the laptop from her and felt the bottom.

"Heat synch," he diagnosed, "You gotta give it room to breathe or else it'll shut down."

She shrugged, "It happens regularly enough. I'm used to it by now."

"Thus your obvious calm and composure," he grinned.

She snatched the laptop back from him, snapped the lid shut, set it aside, and sat back with her arms across her chest. He thought about teasing her again, but decided not to press his luck.

Waiting out her funk, he looked around the room. It was definitely the cleanest he'd ever seen it before thanks to the woman sitting next to him. He'd be the first to admit that he could be a bit messy at times, but impeccably clean houses made him almost as suspicious as clowns. A home should look lived in, not like some museum. He frowned at the thought, his mind flicking to the endless hours they'd spent in her apartment. There wasn't a time he could recall walking in on a messy room and it occurred to him that maybe she was bothered by his mess. He made a mental note to bring that up later.

His gaze was just about to return to her, when he noticed the addition she had made to the entertainment center's décor.

"Nice touch, Bones," he smiled approvingly, pointing at Jasper and his blue companion.

Her face softened, arms unfolding, "I thought you would approve."

They shared a smile at the memories and he was pleasantly surprised when she gently lifted his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. She shifted her body closer to his and he put up the footrest so that they could stretch out together.

"Did it feel good to get back and work on the case?" he asked once they were situated.

"Very," she said, "Though I was surprised that you didn't come and insist that I eat lunch sooner."

"I didn't want Sadie to- you know- see her mom that way," he explained.

"You realize, of course there is no chance that she would recognize her mother's facial features from the remains? And that if, perchance she would, the memory would fade nearly as soon as it was formed?"

He hid a smile. Two years ago he would have assumed she was being condescending. Now, however, he knew her well enough to see she was teasing him in her own way.

"Still seemed wrong, though," he replied easily.

"I concur," she smiled up at him.

"Vehemently?"

"But of course."

They settled into a comfortable silence. It felt good to be together with no one else around to demand their attention. Two months of raising four kids during the day and working the case together at night had left them with little or no time together as a couple. And while their original case was still open and they had chosen to raise Sadie, at least now they could work together during the day again and steal moments like these. Bones had been quite strict about putting Sadie to bed between seven-thirty and eight every night, leaving their evenings free too.

"Seeley," she spoke so quietly he almost didn't hear her, "Were you displeased with my actions this morning?"

He chose his next words carefully.

"I was worried when I couldn't track you down at first," he admitted, meeting her eyes, "And then once I figured out where you were, I couldn't decide why you hadn't left a note or taken your cell with you. I-" he broke eye contact with her and began playing with her hand, "Did I do something wrong, Bones? To make you run like that, I mean?"

His eyes moved back to focus on her face. She was shaking her head, a tinge of sadness and remorse in her eyes.

"No," she replied, squeezing his hand reassuringly, "Last night I had a series of very disturbing dreams and when I awoke I found myself inexplicably wishing to be in my own apartment, surrounded by my own belongings," she sighed heavily, but continued, "Once there, my needs were temporarily quenched, however, I then found myself drawn back to the Jeffersonian.

"Ironically, it was the mixture of our scents in the blanket on my couch that soothe me enough to fall back asleep."

She made eye contact with him for the first time since she'd started, "I do apologize for not leaving you some sort of notification as to my whereabouts- that was quite selfish and irresponsible of me. And I assure you that forgetting my phone was an oversight. I was extremely distraught when I left. I will attempt to communicate more thoroughly with you in the future."

He smiled gently at her, knowing that she would.

"I'm just glad you were safe," he told her, realizing that he wasn't upset with her anymore, "And for future reference, all you have to do is ask."

"I don't understand," her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Bones, I don't mind if you need your space, or to spend time at the lab. Like I said this morning, we don't even have to live here if you don't want to. I do need to know, though, what you want to do

"I-" he looked for a way to phrase it so she got it, "You don't need to ask like asking for permission- I just want to know what you need so that we're on the same page."

"Alright," she nodded understandingly, "And you will do the same?"

"Sure, Bones."

"I'm quite serious, Seeley," she told him, sitting up just a tad straighter, "As much as I am prone to neglect not voicing my needs, you are apt to deny your own needs voluntarily. I'm quite adept at compromising, however, I- like you- must know what your needs are before I can devise a suitable solution."

"So I'll tell you when the house it too clean for my taste and you'll let me know if there's too much clutter?" he asked, thinking back to his earlier musings.

"Precisely."

"Gotcha."

"I believe too, after weighing all of the factors, that it would be best for us to reside here until we find a suitable house," she told him.

"Okay, Bones," he smiled down at her, "Wanna go over to your place and grab some more of your stuff?"

"Today?"

"Why not?" he shrugged.

"No reason I suppose," she replied, taking her head off of his shoulder and standing up, "It would be nice to have access to my own wardrobe again."

"Mmm," he nodded appreciatively, "I can think of a few outfits I've missed seeing you in."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head at him as he stood to join her and without thinking, he pulled her to him, cupping her cheek in his palm. Her skin was smooth and flawless beneath his rough, calloused hand as he touched down lightly on her lips. They parted for him immediately, but he held back from deepening it. She looked at him, confused and slightly hurt as he pulled back and shook his head gently.

"Tonight," he whispered softly into her still open mouth, letting her know that his desire was present, just the timing was off.

As if to prove his point, Sadie's laugher filtered down from upstairs. She nodded in understanding then, though instead of pulling away she pressed her body right up against his mid-section and kissed him hard and fast.

"I'm holding you to that," she whispered in his ear as she drew back, tracing her fingers daringly around the rooster on his belt buckle.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she flipped her ponytail over her shoulder and moved up the steps toward Sadie's bedroom. He knew he was grinning like an idiot but he couldn't have stopped himself if he'd wanted to- and he didn't. His wife, his Bones, was _hot_!

He heard a noise and looked up to see Bones and Sadie coming down the steps. Sadie was fully concentrating on the task in front of her, and while Bones wasn't helping, she was watching like a hawk in case Sadie should stumble. It warmed his heart to watch Bones' maternal side flourish. True, she wasn't overly gushing, nor did she placate Sadie, but it did bring out a softer side of her, and he knew that Sadie would grow up to be a good woman because of it.

The next several hours were spent alternately rounding up everything from her apartment that she wanted to bring with her and keeping Sadie away from all of the breakable things within her reach. About mid-way through, they gave up working together and Booth was assigned permanent Sadie-duty. He ended up playing peek-a-boo with her using one of Bones' masks that hung on the wall. Sadie was thrilled- Bones was not, but she didn't outright tell him to stop either, so he kept it up as there really weren't any other toys in the apartment.

Finally, Bones had collected everything that she wanted to and announced that it was time to leave. She insisted on carrying everything down herself so that he wouldn't strain his ribs, so he was forced to watch her wrestle everything into the trunk of his SUV. While she was on her last load, he buckled Sadie into her car seat and planted himself behind the wheel. She frowned, but said nothing.

It was nearly dinner time so he drove them to the diner. The meal was good but toward the end Sadie began to get restless and they had to settle for boxing up their desserts to go. They managed to keep her awake on the drive back, but within a half-hour of getting back home, she was yawning and rubbing her eyes so much they felt pity on her and put her to bed.

Not one to leave a job half-finished, Bones had no sooner put Sadie down then she was dragging her luggage in. He decided to make himself useful by emptying out some of his drawers along with one side of his walk-in closet. He shoved them in some of the leftover boxes from the move and made a stack on his side of the closet.

Bones popped her head in for a minute and asked if he would mind unpacking some of her clothes so that she could work on finding room for her books downstairs. He'd teased her about bringing half of her massive library back with them, but she'd insisted they were books she needed either for work or for her book. He was glad that she was feeling comfortable enough to put things away on her own, and to ask him for help.

He decided to start with the smallest suitcase first and nearly died of a heart-attack for his trouble. It was completely filled with top-of-the-line lingerie, a pair of very provocative stuffed dice, and pink, fuzzy handcuffs. He grinned at the dice, which had verbs on one die and body parts on the other, and he set them up on the bed along with the handcuffs. It felt like he was fulfilling a guilty pleasure, touching all of her intimate things as he started to put them away, but he managed to get them all in their own drawer without his blood pressure getting too far out of control.

He moved to the largest suitcase, which contained some of her dresses and most of her blouses. He smiled, remembering certain tops that he associated with their past cases. A few of the dresses were ones he'd never seen her wear and he had fun musing what she would look like in them as he hung them up in the closet. His heart soared when he found the Roxy dress, touched that she'd kept it after all these years. He'd had to call Angela in on that one to get Bones' size, and the artist had looked knowingly at him for several weeks afterward, not taking his word that nothing had happened.

After the last of the dresses were hung, he decided that he'd stop before he overdid things and stowed the last suitcase in the closet for the time being. He hadn't seen hide nor hair of Bones for hours and it was time to find out exactly what she'd been up to. With all that she had brought with her, he wouldn't be surprised if his living room was unrecognizable. It felt good to see their lives finally merging together, though, and he found that he was excited to see what she'd done with the place.

Descending the stairs he heard the soft strains of her Jazz music playing, as his nose picked up the scent of a vanilla candle burning somewhere nearby. He stopped by the kitchen to grab a glass of water. The counters had been cleaned and the dirty dishes washed, not to mention he knew his floor had never looked that good.

Moving into the dining room, he noticed the soft candle flickering from the table and decided that as long as she didn't make his house smell like a girl, he was okay with that. He stepped into the living room, his eyes roving around to see what had changed.

To his surprise, it wasn't as much as he'd thought. She had cleverly stowed her books in what he'd always considered his trophy case by using the trophies as bookends. It didn't look sloppy and it looked like she'd found room for all of her books. On the top of the entertainment center, she'd added several other pictures along with their wedding one that he'd put there. Some were older ones of her and the squint squad, while others were newer, including a black and white one from the wedding that showed them surrounded by all four kids.

The only other difference that he saw right off hand was that she'd put a low, wooden magazine rack by the couch. He could see some of her forensic anthropology journals resting beside his Sports Illustrated magazines. The woman herself was stretched out on the couch, typing away at her laptop, which he noticed she had carefully propped up so that air could flow underneath of it.

"Do you like it?" she asked, lifting her eyes from her computer screen to focus on him.

"I think," he said, lifting her legs as he sat down, then replacing them on top of his lap, "It's great."

"Truly?" she reminded him of a kid who wanted to make sure that their parent wasn't just putting them on.

"Yeah, Bones," he nodded, pouring all his sincerity into his voice and his eyes, "I love seeing our stuff mixed together. Makes it feel more like home," he tilted his head and asked, "Do you like it? Does it feel more like home to you?"

"Yes, I like it," she answered, closing her laptop and setting it on the floor, "However I was the one who arranged everything so my opinion is a bit biased in that respect. As to it feeling more like home, I suppose it does; though it is still quite an adjustment from my own apartment."

"Come here," he patted his lap and she scooted up onto him, "I know this a lot of change for you in a pretty short amount of time, but until we get our own place I want you to feel like this is yours too. If there's anything that you want to change or just can't stand then fix it. If you want to bring some more of your stuff over and start hanging things on the walls, do that."

She nodded, though he wasn't sure she was totally convinced.

"Now," he threw a charm smile at her and released her from his hold, "According to our agreement earlier, I have to tell you my needs. And right now, Bones, I _need_ to go eat dessert with my wife. Especially after I put away all of your girly clothes."

She laughed and hopped off his lap, then reached her arms out, offering to help him stand. He let her help, and slipped his arm around her waist as they walked to the kitchen. He went right for the fridge, while she headed for the cabinets.

"Oh, Temperance," he dragged out her name, "Where is my apple pie?"

"What pie, Seeley?" she asked innocently, though when he turned his head to face her he caught a mischievous glint in her eye.

"The one you were supposed to have gotten boxed up for me while I got Sadie ready to leave," he looked at her pointedly, "The one that I have been looking forward to eating all night and now I can't seem to find."

"Oh," she said, as if she were just catching on, "That one."

She set a single plate and fork down on the counter and came over to him, bumping him out from in front of the fridge with her hip. Slowly and deliberately she bent over and retrieved a box from the fridge's depths, then turned to face him with a wide smile, using her hip again to close the door. He watched, curious, as she opened the lid and proceeded to remove the largest piece of chocolate cake that he'd ever seen.

"That," he told her, "Is not pie."

"No," she agreed, "But you did tell me several months ago that I should feel free to seduce you with chocolate cake when I wanted to, and after observing you today I believe you have healed enough for me to properly do so."

"Hmm," he drew closer to her until their faces were only inches apart, "So where do we start?"

"First," she spoke demurely, "You sit, and allow me to feed you. Then we will reverse our roles."

He sat while she drew the plate closer. She speared the soft cake, selecting a small piece and bringing it up to his lips. Blue-gray orbs met brown ones, never leaving one another as his opened his mouth and accepted the cake. It melted on his tongue almost immediately, but he tugged on the fork for effect. She slid it out and went for another piece.

Both of them were slightly breathless, and when she turned back to him he could see that her pupils were fully dilated. His heart was slamming up against his ribs as their eyes locked once more and she fed him again. In his peripheral he could see her mouth opening and closing with his, a small sliver of her tongue remaining visible as she tried to concentrate. He quickly chewed and swallowed the bite, then plucked the fork from her hand and tossed it in the direction of the counter, pulling her to him as he stood up.

Their lips met, tongues exploding into action as if they had never kissed before. He drew her tighter to him, enjoying the feel of her soft curves against his body.

"I assume you are ready for our role reversal?" she asked as they panted for air.

"Upstairs," was the only coherent word he could form as he took her hand and pulled her in the direction of the bedroom.

They stumbled up the stairs and he pulled her into the room, closing the door with his foot, then turning her around. He pressed her body up against the door, feeling her heart race through the thinness of her shirt as he leaned down and initiated a deep kiss. It felt like it had been an eternity since he could do this without having to block out pain from his ribs and they were both hungry for it.

The mood shifted suddenly, and before he knew it she was the aggressor, backing him up and pushing him gently onto the bed. Her hands began removing his belt buckle as his fingers undid the buttons on her blouse.

Two hours later, they were both fully satisfied and back in the kitchen, each on their own stool, with their own fork as they shared the rest of the cake. He was starving and was shoveling it in his mouth as quickly as he could while she picked at it.

"You're going to choke," she chided, "Or at the very least get a stomach ache."

"Your fault," he winked at her.

"I didn't hear you complaining," she teased.

"And you never will," he promised, "In fact, I just might be ready for round number two once we're done here," he took a long swig from the glass of milk she'd gotten for him.

"We have work in the morning," she pointed out.

"Speaking of which," he said through another mouthful of cake, "Your car's still at the lab, so I'll drop you off and you can come over to the Hoover whenever you're done. Or home if it gets to be too late."

She shook her head, "I'm going to try to complete all of my work in the morning for the time being so that I can come home and tend to you and Sadie in the afternoons. Obviously I will have paperwork to complete from here, but I don't see that being an obstacle."

"I'm not an invalid," he told her, not wanting to pull her away from her work if she was needed there.

"Apparently," she smirked, her eyes raking over his body, which at the moment was clothed only in boxer shorts.

"Seriously, Bones," he smiled, "If you need more time at the lab, take it. Sadie and I will manage."

"I don't wish to abandon the two of you again," she protested.

"Hey," he dropped his fork and captured her hands in his, "You aren't abandoning us, you're doing your job. Eventually both of us are going to go back to work full-time; I'd be doing that now if Cullen would let me."

"You need to heal properly," the words came out automatically.

"I will, Bones," he gave her a tender look, "But meanwhile there's nothing stopping you from working this case- our case. You'll be doing Sadie and I a bigger favor putting her mom's killer behind bars than you will by staying here with us."

"Fine," she nodded, and he knew he'd finally gotten through to her, "But if you need me-"

"You've been number one on my speed dial for four years now," he cut her off with a grin, "That's not about to change. I told you once that I'd never make you choose me over your job, or make you feel guilty for doing it right and I meant that."

"Thank you," she said softly.

He smiled in response and pulled her into a soft hug. She released him and began taking the dirty dishes over to the sink. He swiveled his stool around to follow her with his gaze, appreciating how good she looked in his old, ratty tee shirt. When she had finished, he stood up and took her hand, their fingers interlacing.

Together, they made their way around the lower level, blowing out the candle in the dining room and turning off her computer in the living room. Finally, they walked to the front door and locked it.

"Time for bed," he yawned, "It's been a long day."

She nodded sleepily and he put his arm around her shoulder and guided her up the stairs. Within minutes, they were both sound asleep.


	34. A Day in the Life

Temperance groaned when the alarm went off the next morning. She reached over to turn it off, then realized it was coming from her husband's side of the bed.

"Seeley," she gently nudged his shoulder.

He grunted and rolled over, but did nothing to stop the alarm.

"Seeley," she tried again, talking a little louder and nudging him a little harder as the steady beeping continued.

When he still showed no evidence of waking, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Getting as close to him as she could, she got up on her knees and tried reaching for the alarm. She managed to brush it with her fingertips, but was unable to reach the button that would silence it. Beneath her outstretched body, Seeley slept on, completely unaware of what was going on around him even as she tried, yet again, to reach the clock.

Fed up with the noise and exasperated with her husband, she straddled his waist with her legs, giving her the few extra inches necessary to achieve her goal. Her hand hit the clock in the appropriate place and silence descended upon the room once more.

"Now there's a way to wake up," she looked down to find the man she had been trying to rouse for the last several minutes looking up at her.

Seeley waggled his eyebrows at her, a wide grin spreading lazily across his unshaven face. She slapped him with her open palm on his shoulder gently and grumbled about his impeccable timing, heat creeping up into her cheeks as she realized that she was still straddling him.

"Oh no you don't," he said, firmly planting his hands on both of her hips as she started to move off of them, "Beautiful woman crawls up on me first thing in the morning I want to know what she's doing up there."

"She," Temperance gave him a longsuffering look, "Was attempting to turn off _your_ loathsome alarm clock."

"I know you're the independent type and everything, Bones," he replied, still holding her firmly in place, "But you could've just woken me up."

"I _did!_ However you refused to be responsive to external stimuli so I simply-" she halted abruptly as his eyes took on a teasing gleam and his chest began shaking with repressed laughter. "You!" she slapped him again on the shoulder, hard this time, "You knew all along that noise was irritating me, why didn't you shut it off?"

"More fun this way," he shrugged, "Especially when you were reaching over me. Now _that _was a view worth waking up to, Bones."

She began trying in earnest to extricate herself for his grasp, but he tightened it once again, simultaneously pulling her closer to him.

"Stop," her protest was half-hearted, though a quick glance in her periphery told her that time was quickly slipping away from them, "Unlike you, I do not wish to be late for work this morning.

He shifted his weight underneath hers and rolled them both onto their sides before pulling her close and kissing her. At first she refused to respond, but one brush of his broad hand across her bare back and she could not resist any longer, quickly matching the fervor of his advances. He was just bringing her nightshirt over her head when his cell phone sounded from the nightstand.

Planting one last kiss on her neck he reached for the phone and snapped it open, obviously irritated by the interruption. Taking advantage of the distraction, she hurried off of the bed, only to trip over something that was on the floor. Fortunately, she didn't fall, but as she went to regain her balance she picked up the offensive object that had caused her feet to stumble. She grinned wryly at the two padded dice, knowing exactly where they had come from and who had unpacked them. Her fuzzy handcuffs were also on the floor, leading her to believe that at one time both had been on the bed.

She placed the handcuffs neatly in her nightstand drawer and flung the dice in Seeley's direction, grinning as they glanced off of him. He was still on the phone, but his eyebrows rose to his hairline when he realized what she had thrown at him and he mouthed the word "later" to her. She shook her head teasingly, gathered her clothes, and headed for the shower.

As she began her morning cleansing routine she fully expected Seeley to barge in unannounced and pick up where they had left off on the bed. A part of her was relieved when he did not as they needed to go to work, but the other part of her mind wondered where he was. Applying a light coat of makeup, she wondered if the phone call he had received had brought bad news.

Pleased with what she saw in the mirror, she exited the bathroom and went in search of Seeley. She found him in their bedroom, half-dressed, and immediately discovered why he had not joined her in the shower. Sadie sat dressed for the day and perched on a pillow in the middle of the bed, happily playing with the padded dice beside her.

"Oh good," Seeley sighed, "Can you take her so I can finish getting dressed?"

"Yes," she laughed, hugging Sadie and setting her gently down on the floor, "Though I highly doubt that she would retain any memory of you dressing in front of her."

"Better safe than sorry," he replied, "I'll be down in a few."

"No doubt," she said drily.

"Now what does that mean?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Seeley Booth, you have one of the most extensive hair regimens I have ever encountered in either a male, or a female."

"Son of a barber, Bones," he reminded her before disappearing into the closet.

"Does that absolve you from the sin of vanity?" she goaded him further, partly in revenge for him not turning off the alarm earlier.

"What?" he spluttered, stepping out again, fully dressed but his tie askew, "No! I mean, I am _not_ vain."

"It doesn't bother me, Seeley," she assured him, stepping closer and righting his tie, "You are a very visually stimulating man who takes pride in his appearance and as a result is always very well-groomed. I also enjoy dressing fashionably and keeping my own appearance satisfying at all times."

"So why are you giving me a hard time, exactly?" he tilted his head.

"I find your hair-care regimen highly amusing."

With that, she stood on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek, and began ushering Sadie out of the room and toward the kitchen. He was muttering something under his breath as she left, but as she and Sadie reached the bottom of the stairs she heard his razor at work in the bathroom and smiled. She wondered if he would cut his routine short this morning as a result of her teasing, but highly doubted it.

Sadie went immediately to her high chair, which had been positioned at the island across from the two existing stools and climbed up into it. Temperance secured the buckle around Sadie's waist and moved to get them each a bowl of cereal. Glancing at the time, she noticed they had less than fifteen minutes before they needed to leave so she quickened her pace.

Ten minutes later, Sadie had both pudgy fists full of Cheerios and was alternating which hand she ate from, while Temperance had finished her own bowl and was clearing off the dirty dishes. Moving over to the percolator, she poured two tall travel mugs full of the dark liquid, sealing the lids tightly so that they would not spill en route. She then filled a child's travel cup with milk for Sadie and began filling the diaper bag with all of the necessary supplies for the day.

"Ready to go, Bones?" Seeley asked, bounding into the kitchen and taking a long drink from one of the mugs.

He spluttered slightly.

"Yes," she said, "Though I just poured that coffee, so it may be hot."

"Thanks for the warning," he replied sardonically, freeing Sadie from her highchair and at the same time trying to wrestle her into her jacket.

When he was done with Sadie, he held out Temperance's coat for her and she graciously accepted his help, along with the brief kiss that followed. Collecting her keys, workbag, purse, coffee mug, and Sadie's diaper bag, she moved toward the front door.

"Here," Seeley relieved her of the diaper bag and caught Sadie's hand just before the little girl bolted out of the front door, "You got everything?"

"I believe so," she nodded.

They loaded everything into Seeley's SUV and set off in the direction of the Jeffersonian. Rush hour was just beginning, but had not yet reached its peak and Booth navigated the streets expertly so they would not be late. She asked if he felt that recommending both Wendell and Clark was a sound plan and he agreed as long as she was satisfied. A sad silence brought on by the knowledge that only Zack's return could fully satisfy her persisted until they pulled into the parking garage beside her Highlander. She was relieved to see she still had several minutes to spare.

"Do you think you'll be done by two?" he asked as she gathered her things.

"I suppose," she shrugged, "Though that will hinge on what my findings this morning are. Why do you ask?"

"That was Sweets who called this morning," he informed her, "Wants to meet at two if we're free. I told him I'd get back to him."

"Is that truly necessary?" the last thing she felt like was dealing with the young psychologist.

"He said something about the Bureau needing to evaluate our working relationship now that we're married," he shrugged, "You know, make sure we're solid and everything."

"Did you suggest to him that perhaps our relationship would be even more solid if he would not call so early in the morning and disrupt our coupling?"

"Can't say I used the word 'coupling'," he grinned teasingly at her, "But I did tell him if he ever called that early again I'd give him the biggest wedgie he'd ever had."

She smiled, remembering the underwear tactic that had been employed often to boys with Sweets' demeanor in her high school, "I will let you know by mid-morning how things are progressing and my estimated time of departure."

He nodded, "Why don't you go start up your car and make sure it works before I leave?"

"I highly doubt that is valid concern," she frowned, "It's not as if we left it here because of a maintenance problem."

"Humor me, Temperance," he gave her a pointed look and she knew he would persist until she acceded.

Sighing heavily and leaving him in no doubt of her opinion, she exited the SUV, dug out her keys, and opened and started the Highlander with no problems whatsoever. Smirking, she returned to the SUV and collected her belongings.

"Is your curiosity quenched?" she asked primly.

"Thoroughly," he grinned, "Have a good day at work, Bones!"

She allowed him a small smile and opened the back door momentarily to tell Sadie goodbye. Seeley exited the garage as she headed toward the lab, waving as he went. She lifted her hand in acknowledgement, a small part of her sad to see the two of them drive away without her. His words from the night before bolstered her, however, and she reminded herself that concentrating on the case was indeed the best thing she could do for all of them.

As soon as she reached her office, she changed into her lab coat and moved directly to the forensic platform. She was pleased to see that Clark was already there, and had the bones laid out and the equipment set up so that they could commence immediately. After each donning a pair of gloves, they began the examination.

They conversed back and forth as to what each of them was viewing on the screen. Not for the first time, she was struck by his professionalism and devotion to the pure science. She was also pleased to see how many times they reached the same conclusion on marks that were difficult to interpret. This gave her the confidence that she needed, should the need arise for him to examine the bones without her. One of the things she missed most in Zack's absence was the complete confidence she had in leaving the bones in Zack's capable hands. While Clark did not have the broad range of knowledge that Zack did, she was confident that in the field of forensic anthropology, he was more than capable.

Three hours and one sore lower lumbar region later, the examination was complete. The microscopes had not found anything significant on the bones other than what her initial observations had been, though Clark did believe he would be able to narrow down a murder weapon given the precise measurements they now had. She tasked him with that for the afternoon and sought out Angela to see if any headway had been made in the Arthur Burke investigation.

"Sweetie!" Angela greeted her with a hug and a large smile, "How was the make-up sex with Booth last night?"

"Why would you assume that that is what took place last night?" she asked, accepting the embrace.

"Oh please," Angela waved her hand dismissively, "You're here, he's not, and you're glowing."

"Angela, no part of the human body is bioluminescent," she shook her head, "Perhaps you are interpreting things differently due to your increased progesterone levels."

"Bren, just go with me on this one, alright?" Angela smiled, "If nothing else the baby is making my sex radar work even better!" The artist's smile grew wider, then she frowned, "Did you change your last name? I mean, I know Jack is still calling you 'Dr. B' but that could go either way really. So are you still Dr. Brennan? Or maybe Brennan-Booth, that's modern enough for you? I can't imagine you'd be just Booth, though just seeing you married is enough to make me believe in miracles."

Temperance threw back her head and laughed, realizing how much she had missed her friend. Even though Angela and Jack had helped out quite a bit during the first part of Seeley's convalescence, the two women had not had the opportunity to engage in 'girl talk' as Angela had coined it years before, and it was only now that Temperance saw how much she'd come to appreciate their conversations.

"Professionally," she started once she was reasonably certain she would not be interrupted, "I am retaining the name Brennan as I feel it would be potentially confusing otherwise for Seeley and I to have to introduce ourselves as Agent Booth and Dr. Booth."

"Dr. Booth?" Angela squealed, "Does that mean?"

"Yes," Temperance nodded her head, unsure as to why she felt suddenly embarrassed, "Yesterday afternoon I completed and sent in the necessary forms to legally become 'Temperance Booth', though Seeley knows nothing of this so I would appreciate your confidence in the matter."

"Aw," Angela smiled, "When are you going to tell him?"

Temperance shrugged, "I'm not certain. We've never discussed the issue so I am hoping that he will not view this as an impulsive decision on my part."

"Honey, I think he's more likely to pass out on you, than criticize you," the artist leaned forward in her chair and whispered conspiratorially, "Do you have any idea how happy this will make him?"

"Of course," Temperance answered, "His most-probable reaction factored heavily into my decision-making process. I also determined since I have already successfully adapted to one name-change I should easily be able to adapt to another."

"So what was the deciding element?" Angela wanted to know.

"Seeley," she said without hesitation, then explained herself, "I know that this is something he greatly desires yet he has never pressured me one way or the other. In fact, I cannot recall the last time we even discussed the matter. Taking on his surname is my way of publicly expressing my commitment to him and to our relationship, though as I said, my professional identity will remain unchanged. According to my research this is highly common- especially among celebrities who wish to have their private life kept separate from their public one."

"He's going to love it, Sweetie," Angela smiled widely.

"Going to love what?" the topic of their discussion said, striding into the room as confident as ever, Sadie close behind.

"Her bridesmaid dress," Angela lied smoothly, "We're going in for fittings tomorrow, and no, you are not invited. You on the other hand," the artist picked Sadie up and spun her around, "Are going to make a gorgeous flower girl."

"I'm not sure how wise of an idea that is," Temperance frowned, "She can be quite mercurial at times when a certain behavior is expected of her."

"So can you, Sweetie," Angela grinned, "But we all love you anyway. Besides, with you and the FBeyecandy over there being Matron of Honor and Best Man, you can just walk her down between the two of you."

"That _should_ be sufficient enough to restrain her should the need arise," she nodded thoughtfully, then frowned again and looked up at her husband, mentally reminding herself that they were at work and needed to remain professional, "Booth, why are you here?"

"It's noon, Bones," he grinned lazily, "Cullen cut me loose for the day and ordered me over here to check and see what you got before I head home."

"Tough orders," Angela smirked.

"Yup," Booth sprawled out in one of the chairs beside Temperance, "Man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. You got anything for us, Ange?"

"Maybe," the artist nodded, "Your friend Burke is one slick piece of work. Took me forever, but I think I've finally tracked him down- or at least where his site's coming from. You wouldn't believe how many times the thing is routed and re-routed. Whoever set him up knew exactly what he was doing."

Angela handed Booth a slip of paper with an address, "It's a warehouse," she looked apologetic, "But at least it's a start."

"Better than what we dug up," Booth informed her, "I'll phone this in and get a team out there ASAP."

"Can I go with them?" Temperance asked, eager to aid in some fashion.

"No," came the immediate answer.

"Why not?" she faced him head-on, "I always go with you."

"Exactly, and I'm not going so you aren't either."

"That's ridiculous," she scoffed, "Unlike you, I have no physical limitations and I am perfectly capable of defending myself should the need arise. Do you doubt the capability of your team?"

"No," he shook his head, "But Cullen would still flay me if I let you go out there without me."

"You could give me a gun," she suggested, knowing full-well that he would turn her down.

"Bones," he sighed heavily, "I like my job and I want to keep it for a long time," he read the confusion that was no doubt written plainly on her face, "You don't need your gun- I'm your gun, remember."

"Yes," he'd reminded her enough over the years, "However you are incapacitated at the moment, therefore you cannot function as 'my gun' so it is logical that you issue one to me. Or I could simply bring my own."

"Oh no you could not," he spoke emphatically, "Last thing I need is for you to shoot one of my guys."

"That was accidental and resulted in a mere flesh wound," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You didn't accidentally shoot the lock and besides that thing was so big I'm still trying to figure out where you stashed it! No, Bones," he shook his head firmly, his eyes telling her that she would not be able to sway him on the matter, "We'll wait for the trained guys to do their stuff and then we'll do ours once they bring the evidence- or if we're lucky the bad guy- in."

She huffed, displaying her displeasure with the situation, and conceding that he would not change his mind.

"So do they do that at home to you too?" Angela spoke up, questioning the little girl on her lap who squealed and laughed, "Yeah, sometimes I laugh it off too, kiddo, just don't take 'em personally, okay?"

Sadie nodded as if she'd understood the entire exchange and squirmed off of Angela's lap, heading straight for her mother. Unable to maintain her stern exterior, Temperance gave Sadie a warm smile and obligingly picked her up.

Smiling at the pair, Booth commented, "I'm going to call this in, then we can do lunch and head over to Sweets if you don't need to come back here."

"I shouldn't need to," Temperance told him, "Though I am still not in favor of meeting with him."

"That makes two of us," he said, holding up two fingers and moving toward the door, "I'll be right back."

She watched him jog toward her office and let himself in, still a bit sore that he was keeping her from pursuing this new development as well. Not long afterward he reappeared and announced it was time to leave. They said goodbye to Angela and thanked her again for their help and she promised to keep them abreast of any breaking developments.

They reached the parking garage and decided to meet at Sid's for lunch. Cullen had informed them that the FBI needed them to return the Highlander and had promised that Dr. Brennan's personal car would be waiting for her when they arrived. Her car had been kept in a storage facility during their absence.

After putting Sadie in the SUV, she bid the two of them goodbye and collapsed in the driver's seat of the Highlander. This morning had been busy and she had a sinking feeling that the afternoon would prove to be as well.


	35. Sweetness

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan," Sweets toothy smile greeted them, "Come in, please, have a seat."

Booth guided his wife around the couch, his hand on her lower back. They sat down in tandem and his first thought was that it was nice to have her so close. True, they weren't holding hands, or even touching, but they were closer than they'd ever sat on this couch and that was good enough for him.

By the time he'd finished musing about how close he and Bones were on the couch, Sweets had started and was going on about some new sign he'd put up in his office telling clients to silence their cell phones during sessions and how disruptive they were to the therapeutic process. It was on the tip of his tongue to clue Sweets in on what _his_ cell phone had interrupted, but Bones beat him to it.

"Do you realize that your call this morning was highly disruptive as well?" she started out, sounding a little too innocent.

"I do apologize for that," Sweets said, "As I told Agent Booth, it did not occur to me that the two of you would not be up at that time."

"Oh," she nodded, "He was _up_."

The innuendo couldn't have been more obvious and Sweets turned so red Booth started to feel bad for the kid. He shot a warning look at his wife, who was clearly enjoying herself, and decided it was time to steer the conversation into safer waters.

"You said something about the Bureau needing to evaluate us," Booth looked at Sweets, "What's that going to involve?"

To his credit, the kid pulled it back together and answered calmly, "A few sessions with me, not too divergent from what we were doing before. In fact, much of the groundwork for my report has already been laid as a result of my previous observations."

Booth put a hand on Bones' thigh, knowing instinctively that she was going to twist the word "laid" and cut in, "How's that?"

"Well," Sweets tilted his head and furrowed his eyebrows, "You've already proven that you can work effectively as a team under extremely trying circumstances and though your relationship was not sexual in nature previously, you were extremely close."

"We were partners," Bones looked confused, "Of course we were close."

"Oh, come on guys," Sweets let loose one of his chortles as he leaned back in his seat, "You can't honestly sit there- _married_ I might add- and feed me that 'just partners' line, can you?"

Booth looked at Bones, who was looking at him and they both agreed to let the kid sweat it out for a minute before answering him. They gave him matching innocent looks that conveyed they had not a clue what he was referring to.

"I mean," Sweets spluttered, "It's totally obvious that your relationship had moved beyond the platonic long before I entered into picture. Dr Wyatt even mentioned in his notes that there was a connection."

"That's impossible," Bones spoke up, "Our relationship during Dr. Wyatt's brief exposure to us, was tenuous at best. In fact," she was nearly crowing, "We were getting along so poorly that it took his intervention to help us get back on good terms with one another."

"He fed us a line, Bones," Booth laughed at the memory, "And we bought it hook, line, and sinker."

"It was not!" she insisted, "He was completely correct in his evaluation. Sully wished for me to waste a year with him on his boat and at the time I could not commit to such a purposeless existence. My career was far more valuable to me at the time."

"And what did your career consist of, Bones?" Booth bored his eyes into hers, willing her to see the truth she'd been denying for years now.

"You're very arrogant at times," she told him bluntly, "You've always assumed that Andy was based on you, now you believe that I rejected Sully because of you, and Angela is forever trying to get me to admit that I have been 'in love' with you all along." he could tell she was starting to get agitated so he took her hands in his and squeezed gently.

"Hey," at that one word her eyes locked on his, all further protest dropping from her lips.

He told her- using only his eyes- that he wasn't trying to gang up on her with Sweets and that it didn't matter when she'd fallen for him or he'd fallen for her. Somewhere between the corpses and the endless cups of coffee at the diner and the late nights at her apartment or at the lab it had happened. The important thing was that they had figured it out, and the rest was just details. He felt more than saw her relax, her head nodding so minutely he was pretty sure Sweets didn't catch it.

Once he was sure that she wasn't upset any more, he squeezed her hands, they shared a half-smile, and then separated, turning to face Sweets expectantly. The kid was ogling them and scribbling furiously in his little notebook, but he stopped as soon as he saw they were done and cleared his throat.

"Now," Sweets started as if they'd included him in their discussion, "How would you each characterize your adjustment to married life?"

"Good," Booth said at exactly the same time his wife said, "Difficult at times."

"Explain," Sweets ordered, "Separately."

"Well, obviously it's not all peaches and cream," Booth grinned, trying not to get Bones all riled up again, "But we've figured things out as we've gone."

"Dr. Brennan," Sweets turned to her, "Care to elucidate on your answer?"

She shrugged, "I meant what I said. It has been difficult at times, however, as Seeley has stated, that has not inhibited our ability to work through the situations as they have arisen."

"Okay," Sweets nodded, handing them each a sheet of paper and a pen, "I want you to each think of the hardest adjustment you've had to make since marrying as well as the easiest adjustment. When you're done, we'll exchange answers."

Silence descended on the room as the couple turned away from each other and began writing. Coming up with the easiest adjustment was no problem for Booth, but once he got it down he didn't know what to put for the hardest. Finally, something came to mind and he scribbled it down and looked up. Bones, of course, had longed since finished, and she and Sweets were waiting patiently for him.

"Good," Sweets said, "Who wants to go first?"

"I will," Bones surprised him by answering quickly and Booth's gut warned him this might not be the best thing, "The easiest adjustment to our new relationship has been the sex."

Two pairs of male eyes bored into her and Sweets was nearly drooling on the carpet his jaw was so wide open.

"What?" she said, obviously at a loss as to what they were staring at, "I had always anticipated that Seeley would be an excellent sexual partner given his sculpted physique and empathetic nature, and I was more than pleased to be proven correct."

One part of Booth's brain told him he shouldn't be surprised in the least at the words that were coming from his _wife_ in front of their _psychologist_, while the other half was stunned into silence along with Sweets.

"And what did you find to be the most difficult?" Sweets was the first to recover, though his voice broke a couple of times.

"That," Bones continued, still oblivious to the effect of her previous statement, "Was a bit more difficult. Not that our marriage has been rife with difficulty," she quickly amended, looking at Booth, "I would have to say, however, that the hardest adjustment has been learning how to compromise. As a single person, one gets used to doing things a certain way and indulging in selfish whims from time to time. As a married person, however, one must constantly remind oneself that others are directly affected by and may even want a say in the daily decisions that are made."

"Do you feel the compromise has been lopsided, or that each of you has had to sacrifice equally?" Sweets probed.

"Equally," she answered after a moment's pause.

"Even though you are the one who's had to move? And despite the fact that you were the one most opposed to marriage in the first place?" Sweets asked.

"On the surface, yes," she agreed, "It would appear that I have made several large compromises. Seeley, however, has had to open up his home not only to me, but to Sadie as well. He has also graciously taken on the responsibility of caring for her during the afternoons despite his rib injuries, so that I am free to remain at the Jeffersonian if I am needed. And as he has been single for several years longer than I have, I would presume that the adjustments aren't any easier for him."

Both Sweets and Bones turned to him as if she'd given some silent clue that it was his turn to share.

"For me," he cleared his throat, "The easiest adjustment has been living together," he faced Bones, "I like that I don't have to drop you off every night or pick you up every morning and not 'cause I thought it was a hassle- because I didn't- but because it gives us so much extra time together. Even on the days we don't see each other a lot, it's okay now because I know at the end of the day you'll be home and we can catch up. I like that a lot."

She rewarded him with a small smile and gray-blue eyes that spoke volumes and he smiled tenderly back.

"And the most difficult thing?" Sweets said quietly after allowing them their moment.

"The house is always so _clean_," he said, praying she wouldn't take it the wrong way, "I mean, I'm used to things looking a little more lived-in. Not that I want to live in a pig sty, but I'm not used to floors that shine or empty, dust free surfaces."

Instead of the scowl that he expected when he looked up, she broke into one of her goofy laughs that made her sound like she was high. It was cute, but he was completely at a loss as to what was so funny.

She took a deep breath before saying, "I nearly put down on mine that your house was too cluttered."

He smiled, getting it, "Really?"

"Yes," a giggle escaped, "I've tried very hard to restrain from commenting and have picked up here and there, but it was very difficult for me to adjust to at first."

"Thus the major cleaning spree last night while I was unpacking upstairs?" he guessed.

She nodded her head, "I'm sorry if I overstepped by bounds, I simply needed some semblance of tidiness in order for me to concentrate."

"Guess we found something new to find a compromise on, eh?" he smiled.

"It would appear so."

"Well Sweets," Booth stood to leave, helping Bones to her feet, "It's been real, but it looks like our time's up and we have to go back and clean house now."

"Or dirty it," Bones grinned, then frowned, "Though not too much, because as I said, I don't function well in a messy environment."

"Messy?" he scowled, "I'm not messy. I just don't need to live in a lab, that's all."

"Even in its current state your house would never be cleanly enough to serve as a laboratory," she chided, allowing him to help her into her coat, "And it is not difficult to deposit soiled underwear into the clothes hamper."

"You make me sound like I poop my pants or something," he threw his arms up, "I'm not _that_ bad, Bones!"

"Parker's room is more neatly kept then ours."

"Parker only comes every other weekend, of course it's cleaner!"

Their banter continued into the elevator and Booth swore he saw an extremely self-satisfied look on Sweets' face as the doors closed shut.


	36. When the Crayon Hits the Wall

**YAY! Fanfic is back! I think I might've gotten the shakes if it wasn't back soon. In celebration, here is the 80th chappie of this saga(including the Wonderful World ones) and it's almost 9 pgs long, single spaced. Plus, there's one coming tomorrow too. Thanks to all who have reviewed. I really love getting your feedback!**

**Gum**

* * *

After a physically draining morning at the lab and an emotionally draining afternoon at the Hoover with Sweets, the Booths were more than happy to pick up Sadie, exchange cars with the FBI so that Temperance would have hers again, and go home. They realized once they got there, however, that their grocery inventory was running dangerously low. It was decided that they would stop by Temperance's apartment and collect her eco-friendly shopping bags before heading to the farmer's market.

"We could always go tomorrow," Seeley offered as they drove to the market.

"No," she shook her head, "I have some paperwork that needs to be done tomorrow morning and Angela is taking Sadie, Cam, and I out to various stores tomorrow in order to procure everything we need for her wedding. I believe we are also going to Cam's apartment for a bachelorette party. Angela is staying there tomorrow night."

"Huh," Seeley smiled, "I'da thought you girls would go club-hopping or something."

"We did that the last time," Temperance informed him, "And besides, Sadie will be with us so it would be highly inappropriate."

"Hodgins is having a few guys come over to the mansion," Seeley informed her, pulling into the crowded parking lot, "Nothing wild, but I'm not sure what time I'll be home."

"The wedding begins at ten and we need to arrive at least an hour earlier than that, so you should take that into consideration," she smiled.

They retrieved Sadie from the backseat and set her in her stroller.

"I'm sure that'll be _real_ high on the priority list, Bones," he grinned, opening the door as she pushed the stroller through.

"Well," she tilted her head, "Without a wedding there would be no cause for celebration and as the last wedding did not go as planned it would behoove you all to disperse at a reasonable hour."

"Oh come on, Bones," he smiled as they made their way from stand to stand, "You can't tell me that you aren't looking forward to a wild night out with your friends."

"I am," she said, "And I am planning on taking Sadie's playpen with me in case the hour grows later than her bedtime, however, I am not planning on being there past ten o'clock. I will need to be up by at least seven on Saturday morning in order to insure that there is enough time to get Sadie prepared."

"Joys of parenthood," Seeley quipped, "I'll leave by ten too so you won't get left in the lurch, okay?"

She wasn't entirely sure what the idiom meant, but she was too tired to ask so she simply interpreted it as best she could using contextual clues and nodded.

"Temperance!" a booming voice greeted her as they approached the next stand.

Before she had time to react, Hiram Zimmerman had enfolded her in his large arms, his face beaming with pleasure at the sight of her.

"Have you been working on a case all this time?" the older man inquired.

"Yes," she nodded, returning his smile, "In fact the case that we were assigned to just after we last were here is still active, though we have only recently returned to the city."

"And you've brought someone back with you, I see?" Mr. Zimmerman motioned to Seeley and Sadie.

"Good to see you again, sir," Seeley smiled as his hand was swallowed by Mr. Zimmerman's larger one.

"Same here," Zimmerman replied, "And I see you've gone and made our girl an honest woman!"

Seeley reddened slightly and nodded.

"Max told me all about the wedding," the poultry farmer grinned before turning to face the stroller, "Is this young lady here the Miss Sadie that Grandpa Max has been raving about?"

Sadie beamed up at the big man and flapped her arms in delight, though Temperance hardly believed she was following the conversation. Mr. Zimmerman ruffled Sadie's hair and moved back behind his counter to fill their order. When everything was ready, they paid him and waved, promising to come back again soon.

They purchased the last few items that they needed. The stroller proved to be quite an asset as it kept Sadie from becoming lost in the crowd and gave the adults a place to hang the groceries so that their arms did not grow weary. By the time they'd finished, it was nearly six o'clock and they decided to get dinner from one of the soup stands and desserts from Mrs. Field's pastry stand.

Temperance smiled as they ate, recalling that at each of the stands they had visited, her friends had greeted them warmly and accepted her new family situation without question. They had all been happy for her and she had felt an odd thrill of pride introducing her husband and their new daughter. Sadie had reveled in all of the attention, though by the time they were finishing the soup, Temperance noted that the little girl's energy was beginning to wane.

Without speaking, she got Seeley's attention and gestured that it was time for them to leave. Quickly they disposed of their garbage and began making their way to the exit. The crowd was thinning and they made it into the SUV and out of the parking lot with no delays. She chose to sit in the back with Sadie and keep the little girl entertained and awake until they got home.

Forty-five minutes later they were home, Sadie was fast asleep in her crib, the groceries had been put away, and she and Seeley were upstairs in their bedroom.

"I'm pooped," Seeley announced, flopping on the bed and grabbing a book off of his nightstand.

"While I have never seen the connection between feces and fatigue," she looked up from her laptop to acknowledge him, "I must admit I am somnolent as well."

"Your late night vocab skills never cease to amaze me, Bones," he grinned, "So whatcha doing over there anyway?"

"Working on my latest book," she informed him, "The manuscript is due to my editor in four months and I have found it best not to put things off until the last minute."

"So you're writing a new book and I'm reading an old one?" he held up a worn copy of _Red Tape, White Bones_.

"It would appear so," she frowned, "Don't you find it disturbing reading that book given the actual murders that took place after its release?"

He shrugged, "I don't really think about that too often, honestly. It's my favorite, though."

"Why?" she asked, "Because it was dedicated to you?"

"That never hurt," he shot her a cocky grin, "But, nah, I just have always liked the story a lot."

"I could get you a new copy if you'd like," she offered, pointing at the binding, which was beginning to come loose.

"Thanks, Bones," he smiled softly, reaching over to gently tuck a strand of errant hair behind her ear, "But I'm fine with this one. Besides, it's signed by the author."

They shared a laugh, each remembering how he had barged into her office and demanded an autograph the day he'd received his advance copy. She'd protested and they'd bickered back and forth about it throughout that entire day until she'd finally relented. She hadn't understood the request then and she wasn't sure she understood it now, but it was touching to see how much he cherished it even though years had passed.

Lapsing into a companionable silence, she went back to writing and he to reading. An hour later Seeley announced that he was ready to sleep. She powered down her laptop while he made his nightly inspection of the house and they turned off the lights. She smiled as he pulled her into his warm embrace to sleep.

The alarm went off at seven the next morning, prompting dual groans from the bed's occupants.

"Do you have to go into the lab this morning or did you bring home your work?" Seeley asked groggily.

"I brought it home so Sadie wouldn't have to go to daycare," she told him, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "Will you be needed at the Hoover?"

"Yeah," he grimaced, sitting up fully and stretching carefully, "We have to attend the annual 'You Too Can Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace' seminar- though I can skip out early because I'm on half days."

"I can't recall going to anything like that at the Jeffersonian," she mused, then appraised him with her eyes, "Do you feel your ribs are healing properly still?"

"Yup," he smiled, flexing his bare pectoral muscles in demonstration, "I mean, I still wouldn't be all that much use in a fight, but it doesn't hurt to breathe or walk anymore. My next appointment's Monday and I'm going to ask the doc if I can start running again," he frowned and patted his abdomen, "I'm starting to feel flabby from all this sitting around."

"Rest is an important part in the recuperation process," she reminded him, "Though I can't see any reason that the doctor would recommend against running- for limited periods of time, of course. Would you mind if Sadie and I accompanied you?"

"Running?" he asked, surprised, "Sure, I'll be setting a slow pace to start out."

"That would be wisest," she shrugged, "Though once you are fully healed I'm certain it wouldn't be a problem keeping up with you- as long as we purchase a jogging stroller for Sadie."

"You run, Bones?" he asked, following her into Sadie's room, "Why did I not know that?"

"I do," she smiled, "It's not something I've gotten to do as often as I like to as of late, but it is an activity I enjoy. Taking care of my body is very important to me, Seeley."

"Mmm," Seeley agreed, running his eyes up and down the length of her body, "It's very important to me too, Temperance."

"Booth!" she squealed as he pulled her to him and began tracing the curves of her hips with his palms and began pelting her face with small kisses, "We have an audience you know?"

Sadie attached herself to Seeley's leg in response, though it did little to halt his advances.

"That's alright," he murmured in her ear, "She'll always know that her parents love each other."

"Fine," she smiled, tapping his nose with her forefinger, "Though do not complain to me when she begins French kissing you again."

He made a pouting face, planted one last, quick kiss on her lips, and swooped Sadie up into his arms and kissing her on the cheek. Sadie grinned with delight and wrapped her arms tightly around her next.

"Love lu, Dada!" she shrieked into Seeley's ear.

"I love you too, kiddo," he said, shaking his head and rubbing his ear, "Though I'm gonna need hearing aids by the time I turn fifty."

"Is it still odd to you?" Temperance asked as they sat down to eat a quick breakfast before he had to leave, "Knowing that Sadie will soon be our child in the eyes of the law? That we are her parents?"

"A little," he admitted, "I had nine months to get used to the fact that Parker was coming, so it's different that way," he stroked Sadie's downy hair as she munched away at a handful of cereal, "But it feels _right_- you know? Like she was meant to be part of our family."

"Though I do not believe in the concepts of fate and destiny, I would agree with you," she nodded, "The love and affection that I feel toward her cannot be quantified, though it is as strong as my love for you."

"You're a good mom," he told her with a tender smile, "You two are perfect for each other."

"Do you realize," she asked, "That by the time my manuscript is due Sadie will be two years old?"

"Really?" he asked as they cleared the breakfast dishes.

"She was eighteen months old when she came into our care," she pointed out, "That was two months ago, so in four more months she will be two years old."

"Do we even know when her birthday is?" he asked, as if considering it for the first time.

She nodded, "Angela took the liberty of looking up all of the children's birth certificates. Maddie's birthday is July twenty-eighth, Joey's is May twenty-sixth, and Sadie's is March twenty-seventh."

"Good to know," he smiled, "Kinda funny that all of their birthdays are at the end of the month."

"Not really," she shook her head, "If a woman has a standard twenty-eight day menstrual cycle that stays consistent throughout her life, she will conceive at the same time of the month every time, and therefore give birth around the same time of the month with each pregnancy- presuming she carries to term, of course."

"Learn something new every day with you, Bones," Seeley grinned, releasing Sadie from her highchair, "Though let's not make a habit of talking about- um- girl cycles right after breakfast, okay?"

"They're a perfectly normal bodily function," she frowned, "And certainly you've noticed-"

"Yup," he nodded, cutting her off with a kiss, "I've noticed when you have, and am very thankful that you stock up on your own- er- accessories. There are waaay too many kinds of those things for me to know what to get."

"My father had to purchase them for me the first time I started," she smiled fondly at the amusing memory.

"TMI, Bones," his voice took on a warning tone.

"But there was an ice storm-"

"Temperance."

She put her hands on her hips, "You know, one day you might have to do the same for our daughter if the same set of circumstances should arise?"

"They won't," he assured her, putting on his coat.

"You can't be sure of that," she told him.

"Global Warming, Bones," he bent down to give Sadie one last hug, "It's going to work in my favor."

She shook her head, but allowed him a hug and a kiss as he turned to leave.

"See ya around noon," he called as he jogged out to the SUV, waving.

She nodded and she and Sadie waved back as he pulled out of the driveway and drove down the street. Shivering in the cool November air, she hurried Sadie back inside and shut the door.

"Dada bye-bye?" Sadie asked as they moved into the living room.

"Yes," Temperance nodded, "Your daddy had to leave but he will be back shortly."

"Sortly," Sadie giggled.

They sat on the carpet and played with Sadie's toys for a while together. When Sadie seemed engrossed enough in her play, Temperance pulled out her paperwork and began working on it. Sadie soon lost interest in her toys and was automatically drawn to the stack of paper. Temperance told her no firmly, and gave her a crayon and some blank paper as an alternative. Sadie happily took the crayon and began coloring on her paper, so Temperance turned back to her work.

Fifteen pages later, she looked up and was horrified to find Sadie scribbling away on a nearby wall. She immediately ran over and took the crayon from Sadie, scolding the little girl for coloring on the wall instead of the paper. Sadie began wailing, reaching for the crayon and jumping up and down in protest when Temperance would not return it to her. After five minutes of trying to reason with Sadie as to why her mother was not allowing her to have the crayon back, Sadie was still protesting and Temperance decided it was time for the little girl's morning nap.

She heard her cell phone ringing as she shut the nursery door, muting the screams that were coming from within and she raced to get it.

"Brennan," she answered, slightly out of breath.

"Thought you were changing that name of yours, Sweetie?" Angela's voice replied on the other end.

"Habit," she muttered in her defense, "Though I'm glad you called as a situation has arisen here that requires your artistic expertise."

"Booth wants a nude portrait done of you?" Angela guessed, though Temperance doubted her friend was being sincere.

"No," she shook her head, "Sadie defaced one of the walls with a crayon and I am unsure how to clean it, though I wish to do so before Seeley arrives home at noon."

Angela laughed, "Sweetie, please tell me you didn't give it to her and then left her unsupervised?"

"That would be a lie if I told you that," she sighed, "I was finishing some paperwork of my own and did not think to supervise her once she started coloring on her own paper."

"Crayons aren't really for kids that small," Angela commented.

"I realize that now," she thought of Seeley's compliment that she was a good mother and felt like that was the furthest thing from the truth at this point.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it," Angela switched from teasing to soothing in an instant, "Just go to the store, pick up a Magic Eraser, and scrub it off."

"I doubt that magic would have any true effect on the wall as there is no evidence for its factual existence," she said skeptically.

"It's a sponge with chemicals on it," Angela explained, "It'll take the crayon right off and if you don't scrub too hard it shouldn't hurt the paint either."

"Oh," she said, understanding, "Thank you, though I suppose I will have to wait until Seeley comes home to get it. Sadie was extremely displeased that I would not return the crayon to her and as it is close to the time she normally naps I put her in her crib," she paused, listen for the screams and hearing nothing, "I believe she has finally calmed herself and it would not be wise for me to disrupt her again."

"Well," Angela said, "I was calling to let you know I decided to play hooky today from work so I'm out and about already if you want me to grab you one and swing by before the big guy gets home."

"That would be very helpful if it would not inconvenience you too much," she answered, relief filling her for the first time since she looked up and saw what had been done to the wall.

"That's what friends are for, Bren," the artist said, easily, "I'll be there in about fifteen minutes or so."

Temperance nodded and they said their goodbyes and hung up. As there was nothing to do in the meantime, she picked up her paperwork and started working on it again. She finished the last one just as a knock sounded at the front door.

"Thank you very much," she smiled as her friend breezed in through the door.

"I'm sure you'll do the same for me when Junior here comes along," Angela smiled, patting her slightly swollen abdomen, "Now, take me to the scene of the crime."

"It's not that I wish to hide this from Seeley," Temperance explained as they entered the living room, "However, he was teasing me yesterday about how clean I like to have my environment, so it would be a bit embarrassing to have him come home to this."

"Not to mention you left the baby alone with a crayon," Angela pointed out wryly.

"She'll be two in a matter of months," Temperance said, knowing she sounded defensive, "That's hardly an infant."

"True," Angela nodded, "But I'd still put the crayons in storage for a little longer- or just keep a close eye on her."

"Obviously."

Angela showed her how to properly wet the sponge and apply the cleaning solution and to her amazement it did exactly what the artist had promised. By the time they had finished, no trace of the crayon remained on the wall and the paint was still intact.

"Now, there are two of those so keep them handy," Angela instructed as they put the sponges in the kitchen, well beyond Sadie's reach.

Temperance nodded and the two settled down on the barstools for a cup of coffee- Angela insisted that she hadn't had coffee in weeks and a little caffeine never hurt anyone.

"Seeley told me that I am a good mother," Temperance confessed, "But incidences like this make me unsure of that. When it first happened I blamed Sadie, however if I had been watching her properly it would not have happened."

"You don't know that," Angela placed a hand on hers, "And you are a good mom."

Temperance frowned, uncertain, and sipped at her coffee.

"Sweetie, look at me," Angela commanded, "You rescued that little girl and her brother and sister from a horrible life and have given them each a safe place to grow up. They know that you love them very much and that you're doing your best. Doesn't mean you'll get it right a hundred percent of the time," she smiled ruefully, "I remember the first time my dad took me to an art museum- I think I was five or something- and we saw one of Pollack's paintings on display. It fascinated me so much that I decided to recreate it on my bedroom wall when we got home. Yeah, Dad wasn't too thrilled about that, especially since I tracked paint all over the hardwood floor too."

"I can imagine not," Temperance smiled, the tension easing from her shoulders at the amusing anecdote.

"Nope. Point is, my painting on my wall didn't make my dad a bad person, or me a bad kid for that matter, it just made us, well, human. And Bren," Angela smiled kindly at her, "Even geniuses are allowed to be human- especially when it comes to their kids."

At that, Angela stood to leave and they embraced.

"You're a good friend," Temperance told her.

"Like I said, you'll have plenty of opportunities to pay me back," she shrugged, "Anyway, I've got a few more errands to run, then Jack and I are grabbing lunch together. The limo will come and pick you girls up around one for our shopping spree."

"Is a limousine truly necessary?" Temperance asked.

"Girl, we are going _shopping_," Angela stressed, "By the time we're done, we'll be lucky if there'll be room for us in the car! And don't even start to pull that 'I have a kid' stuff on me. You just bring whatever you need for her and when we're done with our girl night tonight we'll take you home."

"I was hoping not to stay out too late."

"We'll have you home by ten, Cinderella," Angela teased.

They shared a smiled and said their goodbyes.

As she turned back to the kitchen to wash out the coffee mugs she realized how much she had truly missed Angela's companionship over the last several months. While Seeley was her deepest confidant, Angela was the one who buoyed her spirits and helped her keep a sound perspective on things. The more she thought about it, the more she was very much looking forward to spending the afternoon and evening celebrating their friendship and the upcoming nuptials.


	37. Charlie's Find

When Booth arrived at the Hoover he found that he had about an hour to kill before the seminar started. Settling down behind his desk he looked listlessly at the emptied surface, and tapped his bobble head Bobby, feeling bored already. There was no paperwork to do since he'd done nothing but paperwork since he'd gotten back. Being a desk-jockey was not his speed and he was thankful it was only temporary.

A knock on his door brought his head shooting up. It was Charlie, wanting to know if Booth wanted a briefing on what they'd found at the warehouse. Grateful for something to do and eager for some kind of lead on the case, he welcomed Charlie in and took the file the other man offered.

Charlie got right down to business. He and the tac team had arrived to find the warehouse brimming with activity. They'd set up surveillance equipment around the perimeter- looking for any sign of Burke exiting or entering the building. He hadn't showed up by the time Charlie left at midnight, but it had not been a complete waste of time.

Charlie plopped a thick stack of surveillance photos on Booth's desk. The Special Agent became slack-jawed as photo after photo showed well-dressed men entering the warehouse, then leaving hours later. There were girls in the photos too- attractive young women who were carefully monitored as they were off-loaded from vans and escorted into a side entrance.

"We've got it under a twenty-four hour watch," Charlie told him, "But Cullen wants us to sit on this for now. Burke still hasn't shown and there are armed guards all over the place too so when we go in…" he trailed off.

"It's gotta be timed just right," Booth finished the thought, "Are we sharing jurisdiction with anyone on this?"

"No, we're keeping things in-house," Charlie shook his head, "Most of the girls came up on the hidden site your squint found, so it's not an Immigration issue as far as we're concerned."

Booth nodded, glad that the case was still his even though he wasn't running it from the field at the moment. Given all the armed guards around the place, he was also glad he'd kept Bones away from the warehouse the other day despite her protestations.

"So we've got nothing on Burke so far?" he confirmed.

"Nope," the other agent looked frustrated, "And we checked into the Bally's he supposedly worked at."

"Bogus?"

"Not exactly. The manager recognized him but said it's been almost a year since he worked there. We tracked down the address that was on the W-2's and got pretty much the same story from the landlord. The both said he was a nice guy who kept to himself, but he never missed a day of work or a rent payment so he didn't really stand out to either of them."

"Candie went missing just about a year ago," Booth ran his fingers through his hair, trying to put all of the pieces together, "Sounds like Burke went off the radar at the same time."

His eyes drifted to the clock. They needed to get a move on to report to the seminar on time. He thanked Charlie for the good work and the agreed to meet on Monday as soon as Booth was back from his doctor's appointment. Scooping up the file and a blank pad of paper he headed out.

The seminar turned out to be a canned thing on VHS. The "stars" looked like they were from the 80s and couldn't act their way out of a box. Even the donuts- to Booth's disappointment- were slightly stale, and he spent the whole thing surreptitiously checking out the file and taking notes.

At eleven-thirty they released everyone from lunch. Booth hauled himself up and smiled. For the first time having to work half-days was going to work to his advantage.

"Booth!" Cullen's voice boomed behind him, wiping the grin off of his face immediately, "My office; now."

Like a puppy with its tail between its legs, Booth tucked the folder under his arm and followed his superior. He sat down, trying not to gulp too loudly as Cullen closed the door behind them.

"Enjoying yourself in there?" Cullen asked, sitting down behind his desk.

"Of course, sir."

"Liar," Cullen suddenly broke into a large grin, "I hate them too, by the way, but it's mandatory."

Booth wasn't exactly sure how to respond to that so he kept quiet.

"I take it you've gotten yourself up to speed?" Cullen nodded to the file in Booth's lap.

"Pretty much."

"Good," the other man said, "I still want you as lead on this one, so take the weekend, brainstorm with that genius partner of yours, and come back with a plan of action for us on Monday."

Booth offered him a half smile. That was pretty much what he had planned on doing anyway, but it was good to know Cullen wasn't taking the case away from him in favor of someone who could actually go out in the field.

"Sir," he decided to broach Cullen about extending his hours, "As long as the docs clear me on Monday, I'd like to start working full days again next week. I know I can't go out in the field yet, but at least doing full days I'll be able to get more planning done and oversee the operation better."

"Fine," Cullen pointed a finger in Booth's direction, "But only _if_ the docs clear you. I'm trusting you here, Booth. If you're not healing right or you can't handle a full eight-hour- don't. You're no use to the Bureau- or to your case- if you're hurting and tired and I expect you to hand the reins over to Charlie if things get to be too much."

Booth reluctantly bobbed his head.

"Good, now get out of here and go home," Cullen dismissed him with only a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, "And remember not to sexually harass your wife at work or I'll make you sit through the whole video."

"As ordered," Booth threw the director a salute and a grin and left.

When he got home he could tell right away that things were- not wrong, but definitely _off_ somehow. Bones had lunch ready so they sat down to eat and he started filling her in on the new case details, but the whole time she was either quiet or she talked so quickly he couldn't keep up. By the time they finished her body language was screaming that she was either really nervous or hiding something from him.

"Bones," he asked as they moved to the living room and sat down on the couch, "Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" she asked, the pitch of her voice convincing him that something was up.

"Yes, Bones, wrong, as in not right," he tried to make eye contact, but she suddenly found something far more interesting to look at on the ceiling, "Did something happen this morning?"

"What makes you think anything's wrong?" she said, standing up and now suddenly defensive, "Do you not trust me to care for your house and Sadie when you're not here? I'm not an infant, Seeley Booth, and I am certainly capable of handling both a career and a family!"

"Whoa," he moved to stand by her, putting his hands on her shoulders to stop her pacing, "Back up. First, I was just asking if something was wrong because you've been acting strange ever since I got home. Second, I trust you implicitly with _our_ house and with _our_ child. Third," he backed her up against the nearest wall and leaned in close, his eyes boring into her until she met his intense gaze, "I know full well that you are a _woman_, Temperance, not an infant. Now please, Bones," he softened his eyes and his tone, "Tell me what's bugging you."

"IgaveSadieacrayonandshecoloredonthewallbutwecleaneditoff," she exhaled in one breath.

"Sadie colored on the wall?" he asked, just to be sure.

"Yes," she nodded, "Angela says that I should not feel like a bad parent- and I don't believe that I do anymore- however, I was not certain how to broach the subject with you, or if I was even supposed to. Although, I suppose that I was supposed to because you do own the house and it would have been prevaricating otherwise and-"

He placed and gentle finger on her lips to halt the rambling. She looked down at the floor and he tilted her head up to look at him again.

"Come here, Bones," he slid his hand into hers and took her across the living room to where the couch sat.

Dropping her hand, he moved over to the edge of the couch and pulled it out from the wall, then crooked a finger at her. She reluctantly came and stood beside him and he pointed to the wall behind the couch. Scrawled in red crayon were the letters P-A-R-K-E-R.

"Parker did that when he was three, Bones," he told her softly, "He was so proud of himself for writing his name and I had no clue how to react to it."

"What did you do?" she asked earnestly.

"I told him he did a good job, but that it would look a lot better on paper and I kept a close eye on the crayons after that," he smiled and was relieved to see her smile back.

"And you covered it with your couch?"

He shrugged, "Becca was coming to pick him up and I didn't know how in the world to get the stuff off, so yeah," she started giggling, "Laugh all you want, Bones, but she was in one of her snits back then and I was afraid she'd never let me have him again."

"I'm sorry," she gasped for breath, "Though that was four years ago so I'm surprised you haven't done anything to remove it since then."

"It was behind the couch and out of sight and like I said, I had no clue how to get it off," he looked at her, "You said you and Ange got Sadie's off. How'd you manage that?"

"The product is called a Magic Eraser," she informed him, "Though the name is misleading because it is neither 'magic' nor an 'eraser', merely a sponge with specially formulated chemicals designed to remove things such as crayon marks without removing the paint in the process. She purchased two of them for us, if you would like me to help you clean this off as well," she pointed to Parker's name.

"No thanks, Bones, not yet at least," he shook his head, "When we move we can do that though."

He pushed the couch back up against the wall, covering the marks once more.

"I'm confused," she admitted as they sat down, "Should I have left the markings on the wall and moved some furniture in front of it?"

He laughed, "No, Bones, what you did was fine, it's just with Parker's thing-" he tried to figure out how to explain it to her and failed.

"You've become sentimentally attached to it over the years?" she asked.

"More or less," he shrugged, "I mean, it's not like Parker lives here with me all the time, so it's kinda nice having a piece of him around, you know?"

"Yes," she nodded, "I feel the same way about my mother's belt buckle."

He smiled. Four years ago she would've written off his comments as sentimental nonsense; today she shared a story of her own and was leaning in for a kiss. A lot had changed in four years and he was proud of who she had become. Her soft lips touched his and just as his hand moved underneath the bottom of her shirt to touch her silky skin a cry from upstairs reminded them both of another thing that had changed in the last four years.

"We should get her," she said breathlessly as his hand continued to migrate north, "Angela will be here in a matter of minutes with the limo and Sadie will need to be changed and fed first."

"Mmm hmmm," he continued lowering her down to the couch, lifting her shirt as he went.

"Seeley," she batted his hand away playfully, "Stop it!"

Sadie's protests grew louder, the doorbell chimed, and Booth groaned, releasing his wife. Bones stood up, tucked her shirt back in, ran her fingers through her hair, and headed toward the stairs.

"Don't just stand there, Seeley, get the door," she ordered over her shoulder, not waiting for his response.

He smiled wryly, glad that not everything had changed. Running a hand through his hair he took a deep breath and went to open the door.

"Hey, big guy," Angela waved, breezing past him, "Where's the wife and kiddo?"

"Upstairs," he grinned, "And sure, come on in."

"Thanks," she grinned back, "Hmm, you look a bit hot and bothered there, Booth. Were you and Bren being naughty?"

"A gentleman never kisses and tells," he said.

"Yeah, but swollen lips are a tell-tale sign," she smirked.

"Leave him alone, Ange," Bones said easily as she and Sadie walked down the stairs.

Booth sighed in relief when Angela followed Bones into the kitchen. A minute later they were back, sweeping past him on their way out the door. Angela shouldered the diaper bag, took Sadie by the hand, and started leading her out to the waiting limo while Bones rushed back in the house.

"See you at ten, then?" he asked.

"Angela has promised to return us by then," she said, picking up the playpen carrier with a grunt, "Though that is not a guarantee."

"Lemme get that," he offered.

She glared at him, but let him do it anyway while she grabbed a second bag.

"You moving out?" he teased as they walked out the door.

"Would _you_ like to take her instead?" she teased back.

"Nah," he winked, "She'll have more fun with you girls."

Bones heaved the bag along with the stroller that she'd gotten out of the SUV into the limo's trunk and he put the playpen in beside them.

"Have fun," he told her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I shall."

To his amazement and delight she lifted her head and kissed him in full view of the limo and its occupants. Then just when he thought his knees would give out she pulled back, gave him a sweet smile, and hopped in the limo. He stood there grinning like an idiot until long after the limo was out of sight.


	38. Contentment and Cookies

**It's my b-day today so you get a chappie. I had lots of fun writing it. Leave lots of nice reviews and I'll share my Devil's Food cake with you....**

**Gum**

* * *

Temperance was greeted by a round of applause as she entered the limo and the driver whisked them away to their first shopping destination.

All in all, it was a fun afternoon. The three friends laughed at some of the hideous dresses that were marketed to bridesmaids and Temperance had to endure her share of teasing about the proper place to tie a bow. The all "oohed" and "ahhed" over the dress selections for Sadie- especially when they found a dress that was nearly identical to the bridesmaids' dresses.

Angela, her camera always on-hand, snapped an innumerable amount of pictures throughout the excursion and insisted that their last stop be a photography store. She ordered triplicates of everything she had taken and chose three identical frames as well.

After dinner at an Italian restaurant, they picked up the pictures and headed back to Cam's apartment. Sadie fell asleep on the ride there and was carefully transported inside. Her playpen was erected in Cam's bedroom and Temperance was able to change her into pajamas and a fresh diaper with minimal disruption.

Rejoining her friends in the apartment's living room, she found them laughing over the pictures as Cam poured wine and offered it to her.

"I really shouldn't," she shook her head, thinking about the two glasses she had already had over dinner "I have parental responsibilities now."

"Hey," Angela pointed out, "I'm the pregnant one so I can't. You, on the other hand, have a driver at your disposal and a hubby to take care of things once you get home," she grinned, "I'm not saying you should get sloshed, or anything, but we have to have _something_ to make this a good bachelorette party!"

"Fine," she accepted the glass and settled down on the couch on the other side of Angela to look at the pictures.

"Oh, Sweetie, you have _got_ to give this one to Booth," Angela gasped, holding up a picture.

Temperance smiled. The dress she was modeling in it was short, tight, and prominently displayed her cleavage.

"I'm sure he will find it quite stimulating," she agreed.

Cam snorted and Angela waggled her eyebrows but said nothing, instead handing her friend one of the silver frames. The picture that it housed showed a smiling Temperance kneeling down, arms outstretched, while Sadie ran to her, face aglow. The matching dresses enhanced the tenderness of the captured moment and all three women gave an involuntary sigh at the sight. They continued looking at the pictures, all agreeing that Sadie was very photogenic. Temperance's personal favorite was one of the little girl slurping up a lo mien noodle at lunch.

"This little one," Angela patted her mid-section, "Really needs to be a girl so that we can raise daughters together. Though Jack keeps whining about the lack of testosterone at the lab anymore."

"I've recommended Clark and Wendell to the vacant position," Temperance put in, "So that should aid in that respect."

"Yeah," Cam grimaced, "I am _not_ looking forward to pitching that to the budget committee. They are definitely going to wonder why we need two people to fill one vacancy."

"I miss Zack," Angela sighed, "Not even a dozen interns could replace him, really."

Cam and Temperance each nodded, a touch of melancholy settling over them all.

"So, let's review," Angela slapped her thighs, breaking the silence, "To my right, we have newly minted wife and mother, Dr. Temperance Booth-"

"Brennan," the forensic anthropologist corrected, "I will always be Dr. Brennan. I am merely taking on the Booth surname in my private life, not my public persona."

"Not according to Uncle Sam, but whatever makes you feel better, Sweetie," Angela grinned, "Either way, both of the things you swore you'd never be you now are. Then there's me- the eternal free spirit- who's also jumping on the marriage and kid bandwagon," the artist turned to her left, "Care to join us on the Dark Side, Camille? We really do have yummy cookies!"

"Uh uh," Cam replied emphatically, "This side's way too much fun and I like my body just the way it is, thank you very much!"

"I've managed to procure a child without the aesthetically unappealing side effects of pregnancy," Temperance pointed out, "And Seeley has introduced me to Oreos- which are quite delicious, though I'm still not entirely certain how healthy they are."

"Can we _not _discuss how fat women get after pregnancy in front of the pregnant woman?" Angela requested, "And Oreo's?" Angela raised an eyebrow, "Where did that even come from?"

"You were the one who said we had cookies," Temperance was now the one confused, "Was that supposed to be a sexual reference of some sort?"

A spurt of wine came out of Cam's nose and Angela began laughing hysterically, leaving her even more confused. She wondered if the wine was beginning to affect her.

"Tell you what," Angela gasped between laughs, "You ask Booth about the Dark Side and cookies."

"Or better yet," Cam giggled, "Ask Dr. Sweets."

Temperance was now sure that the alcohol was beginning to affect both she and Cam, so she set aside her wine glass and consulted her watch as to the time.

"It's nine-thirty," she informed the others, "I should take Sadie home."

"Yeah," Angela yawned, "Junior's been sucking my will to stay awake for the past half hour. I'll call the limo."

The artist reached for her phone, while the other two began clearing the glasses and the near-empty bottle of wine. When they returned to the living room, Angela had separated the pictures into three piles and confirmed that the driver was on his way. Sadie's things were collected and set by the door.

When the driver arrived, Cam and Angela helped load everything into the limo while Temperance tried not to wake Sadie. This time, she was not successful and by the time they pulled away, Sadie was alert and smiling as if she had gotten a full night's sleep. Temperance was more than thankful to see Seeley's SUV in the driveway as they neared the townhouse.

As soon as she was loosed from the car seat, Sadie dashed out of the car and nearly fell several times in her rush to get to her father. Seeley picked her up and twirled her around in a full circle before setting her down and coming to aid Temperance and the limo driver with all of Sadie's paraphernalia. Too tired to argue, she ceded her bags to him and went to corral their daughter, wondering how they would ever persuade her to go to sleep again.

Finally, everything and everyone was inside. Apparently, the short burst of energy outside had been temporary and Sadie was asleep almost as soon as Seeley put her in her crib. Without a word being spoken, the two adults moved out of the nursery, closed the door, and walked into their own room. Carefully, Temperance pulled out the silver frame from the bag Seeley had brought up and set it on her nightstand.

"Is that from today?" he whispered in her ear as his hands slipped around her waist to encircle her.

"Mmm hmm," her feet felt unsteady beneath her all of a sudden, "Aren't we cute?"

"Bones?" he turned her around to face him, a grin spreading across his face, "Are you drunk?"

"Tipsy," she corrected with an index finger to his sternum, "Cam and I shared a bottle of wine, however, I'm still as tarp as a shack."

She frowned, knowing that came out wrong and pursed her lips trying to determine what the right phraseology was.

"Sharp as a tack, Bones," he provided for her, though his tone was more mocking than helpful.

"Spoonerism," she informed him.

"Okay, now I'm the one who's lost," he frowned.

"A spoonerism is where one transposes consonants and is one of the common side-effects of inebriation," she informed him.

"How about I spoon you so you can sleep that inebriation off by tomorrow?" he offered, as they changed into their sleepwear.

She nodded, stumbling a little as she put on her soft yoga pants. Instantly she felt a firm hand on the small of her back steady her so that she could complete the task and remain upright. As they turned toward the bed, her feet became tangled up beneath her and they fell on the mattress in an unceremonious heap.

"You know what's funny?" she giggled, unable to contain the giddy feelings she was experiencing.

"I can only imagine," he deadpanned beneath her.

"I'm on a Seeley and you're on a Sealy," she laughed, knowing that that should be far less amusing than she found it, but not caring.

"What?" he looked confused.

"The mattress," she said, not knowing why he didn't understand what she was saying, "It's a Sealy. I know. I changed the sheets and saw. And you are a Seeley too, Seeley."

"Yeah," he chuckled, "Bones on a Seeley on a Sealy, I get it now. Cute."

He shifted her weight gently off of him and settled them under the covers, his arms wrapping around her like a warm blanket, causing her body to relax against his instantly. She shivered a moment later when one of his arms left her to turn off the light, then sighed contentedly when it returned.

"Booth?" she wracked her mind, knowing there was something she was supposed to ask Booth.

"Yeah, Bones?" he yawned.

"What is the Dark Side and why do they have cookies?" she asked hurriedly before it could slip her mind again.

"Ask Sweets tomorrow," he replied sleepily.

"Yeah, Cam said that too," she remembered, "But are the cookies like Oreos or are they a euphemism?"

"Go to sleep, Bones," he kissed her hair, "And if you still want, I'll answer all of your questions in the morning."

"Okay," she said, closing her eyes and yielding to the alcohol-induced fatigue.

Far too early the next morning, the alarm clock sounded, waking her from a deep sleep. She groaned and rolled over- right on top of her husband.

"Hey, Lazy Bones," he grinned up at her as she opened one eye and then the other, the light piercingly bright.

She grunted in response.

"Looks like I'm on a Sealy and you're on a Seeley again," he joked.

"So it would appear," she answered dryly, vague memories of last night's discussion coming back to her.

"You're funny when you're drunk, Bones," that stupid charm smile of his lit up his face, "Feel like continuing that line of questioning you started just before you fell asleep?"

She glared at him, even though she didn't quite remember what they'd last talked about. Rolling back off of him, she stood up and headed for the shower without saying another word. By the time she was finished, she was fairly sure that she recalled everything that they had discussed the night before.

Fortunately, her husband seemed to be in sympathetic mood rather than a teasing one by the time she made her way down to the kitchen as he merely smiled sympathetically at her and handed her a cup of coffee. She accepted it, inhaling deeply before succumbing to its black depths. It was hard and biting, and just the thing she needed to chase away the last of her fatigue.

There was a box of donuts on the counter as well and for the first time in years she selected one and consumed it without calculating the caloric intake or its effects on her body. She smiled at Sadie, who was having more fun crumbling her donut than eating it.

"Mama! Yummy dough!" Sadie exclaimed on sensing her gaze.

Temperance laughed and nodded, her mouth full of donut. Washing down the remains with a last gulp of coffee she stood up and moved for the broom. A steady rain of crumbs was falling to the floor now, though, so she decided to wait until Sadie was finished to bother cleaning up.

"You two go ahead and get dressed," Seeley told her when they'd all finished, "I'll clean up the mess."

She nodded. They would be changing into their wedding clothes when they arrived at the church, but Sadie was still in her pajamas from the night before and smelled like she needed a new diaper. Seeley was garbed only in his sweatpants- a view that she especially enjoyed being privy to now that they were married- so she hurried Sadie up the stairs before she could become too distracted. Bare, sculpted pectorals did odd things to her first thing in the morning.

Twenty minutes later the tiny Booth clan was on their way. They stopped by Rebecca's to pick up Parker before continuing on to the church. When they arrived, Seeley and Parker went one way and Temperance and Sadie the other.

The bride's dressing room was a flurry of activity. Cam and Angela were fussing over their hair and makeup, making last minute adjustments, while Temperance began dressing first Sadie, then herself. They ended up getting done with time left to spare, however, that turned out to not be a positive thing for Angela, who suddenly had to fight off a wave of pregnancy and nerve-induced nausea. The artist made three trips to the restroom before someone from the front announced that it was time for the service to begin.

Angela insisted that she was fine and the group made their way to join the men.

"You look beautiful, Temperance," Seeley whispered in her ear as they took their positions on either side of Sadie.

She smiled, the music cutting off any reply that she may have had. The doors were opened and the trio walked through, led by Parker, the ring bearer. Sadie giggled with glee, tossing the rose petals in front of them, though right as they reached the middle of the aisle, she became bored and simply dumped the rest of the basket's contents on the floor. She protested slightly when they would not let her stop and play with them, but Parker was in front of them, dutifully balancing the rings on a pillow, so she chased after him instead. She clutched the tail of Parker's jacket and held it all the way up to the front.

Parker handed the rings off to his father, then took his sister's hand and walked over to Max, who was seated near the front of the church. Sadie eagerly took a seat on Max's lap and Temperance breathed a sigh of relief.

The rest of the wedding went smoothly. As soon as the minister began the vows, Temperance felt Seeley's eyes latch onto hers, and they did not release their gaze until the ceremony was over and the bride and groom ran off down the aisle. Cam gave her a nudge from behind and they followed soon after. They settled in the foyer until all of the guests had left, then returned to the sanctuary for the photography session that followed.

Forty-five minutes, one restless seven-year old, one tired twenty-month-old, and one grumpy best man later, they were released to the reception. Temperance spent most of the next two hours with a sleepy Sadie on her lap, trying desperately to fight off her own exhaustion. Parker, at least, had found a few children his own age, and was enjoying himself thoroughly- especially once the cake was cut. Seeley made a very touching speech regarding the new couple and she was thankful once again that Angela had not asked her for one as well even though it was customary for the Matron of Honor. Cam gave one in her stead, and spoke much more eloquently than she ever would have.

Toward the end of the reception, Sadie woke up and immediately sought out Parker, who took her out onto the dance floor. Temperance marveled at how very much like his father Parker was becoming as he gently guided Sadie through the dance.

"They've got the right idea," Seeley smiled, interrupting her observations and extending his hand to her, "May I have this dance, Lady Temperance?"

"But of course, Sir Seeley" she said regally, dipping her head and allowing him to lead her out into the crowd.

Three songs later, they were still there, their bodies molded together, moving as one.

"Bones," he asked, breaking the silence between them, "Are you happy? You know, being married and all? I know it's not what you really had wanted out of life…"

He trailed off and for a moment she found that she was without an answer. Certainly marriage was not the drudgery that she had feared, nor was it the fairy tale so often portrayed. It was life: sometimes chaotic, sometimes peaceful, and never predictable.

"Hey," he tipped her chin up to meet his gaze, "Never mind, okay?"

"I was thinking," she shook him off, "And I would have to conclude that I am content in our marriage."

"Content, huh?" he gave a lopsided smile and she wondered if she'd said the wrong thing.

"Yes," she nodded, "And it has been a very long time since I have been content with anything."


	39. Changes

Content. The word had rolled around in his mind ever since he had posed the question to her on the dance floor. Of course, he had not expected her to gush, but he hadn't expected such a simple answer either.

"Content, huh?" he had given her a lopsided smile, knowing he should say something and trying to hide the fact that her answer wasn't exactly the one he'd been hoping for.

"Yes," she had nodded, "And it has been a very long time since I have been content with anything."

He had pondered that long after they had bid the glowing newlyweds goodbye and later helped Cam shoo some of the more intoxicated guests out of the reception hall so that the cleaning crew could take over. It had followed him the whole way home and he'd moved as if in slow motion as they'd gotten first Sadie and later Parker tucked into bed. It was haunting him now as they sat side-by-side on the couch, looking over the file Charlie had left with him.

The frustrating thing was he wasn't sure why it was bothering him so much. She'd always been honest with him in the past and he'd come to expect it and even liked it for the most part. Temperance Brennan did not mince words for anybody and just because they were married now, he told himself, he should not expect her to change.

"What's wrong?" her voice cut through his thoughts, bringing him crashing out of the haze he'd been in all afternoon, "Did you imbibe too much alcohol at the reception?"

"What?" he said, shaking his head to clear it, "No. It's-I'm not drunk, Bones."

"Good," she frowned, "I wasn't certain, but you've been acting strangely for several hours now and I was growing concerned."

He offered her a smile, touched that she was concerned about him, "I was just thinking, that's all."

"About what?" she asked hesitantly, as if she didn't want to be accused of prying.

"Contentment," he said honestly.

"Oh."

They both turned back to the file, neither one sure what to say next. An awkward silence descended.

"Seeley-"

"Bones-" they spoke simultaneously.

"Go ahead," he offered.

She shook her head but he nodded his insistence and she gave in, sighing, "Did I disappoint or offend you with my answer earlier this afternoon? I only ask because you said that you have been pondering contentment and that was the answer I gave to your question."

He moved the file from between them and set it gently on the floor before meeting her eyes.

"You didn't disappoint me, Bones," he spoke softly, "And you didn't offend me either. I guess it just wasn't the answer I was expecting."

"What were you expecting?" she asked the question as guilelessly as Parker or Sadie would.

"I'm not sure to be honest," he shrugged, putting his arm around her and drawing them back to sink into the couch as he began stroking her hand idly with his free one, "I've been asking myself that same question all afternoon and haven't come up with an answer yet."

"But the answer I gave was not one you had anticipated," it was more of a statement than a question, but she wasn't mad.

"Yes and no."

"I hate it when you give me that answer."

He smiled wryly at her, "I guess it just kind of threw me for a loop, you know? Yes, I expected you to answer me honestly, but I didn't think that 'content' would be your answer."

"Is being content a bad thing?" she asked, threading her fingers with his.

"No, Bones, it's not," he said quickly, "It's good, really."

"Then what is the problem?" she wanted to know.

"It made me think and I guess-" he sought out her eyes, then looked down at the floor, "When you said that you hadn't been content in a long time it made me sad. First for you," he smiled tenderly up at her, "And then for me too."

"I don't understand," she told him.

He let out a long breath, "It made me sad for you 'cause I understood why and I wished that I could take that all away and give you a happy life instead of all of the crap that you've been through over the years," he gave her a half smile as she opened her mouth to correct him, "Yeah, I know, that's impossible and not logical, but that's what I felt."

"Why did that make you sad for yourself?" she asked next.

"'Cause I realized it's true for me too," their eyes collided and he struggled to be fully open with her, "It's been a long time since I've been content. For years I just kind of existed- you know?" she nodded, so he went on, "First when I was a kid, with my dad and all, trying to keep Mom and Jared and Lizzy safe. Then in the Army I just went from job to job trying not to think about things too much. Those were some dark days," he admitted.

"And now?" she wondered aloud, "Are you still simply 'existing'?"

"No," he shook his head, a grin spreading across his face, "That ended about four years ago, actually."

"What brought about the change?" she asked as if she truly hadn't a clue in the world.

"Eh," he shrugged, tucking her hair behind her ear and tracing her jaw line, "You see there was this brilliant forensic anthropologist who blackmailed me into working with her. Drove me crazy for the longest time-"

"The feeling was mutual," he heard her mutter.

"Yup," he went on as if he hadn't heard her, "She made me drag her out in the field, begged me for a gun-"

"Which you never gave me!" she gave him a slight shove.

"-and generally made trouble wherever we went."

"I did not!"

"Ah, but you did Bones," he tapped her nose lightly, ignoring her glare, "And in the process you managed to do something to me."

"What?" she frowned skeptically.

"You made me fall for you, Dr. Temperance Brennan," he told her, dropping all of the teasing from his voice, "I fell hard and fast and I've never recovered. You-" he looked at her long and hard, "You helped me live again, Bones. Gave me something to get up in the morning for."

"What did I give you?" she asked, shaking her head, "I mean, you already had Parker and I highly doubt that his birth had a lesser impact on you than our partnership."

"Parker," he sighed heavily, "Parker was the best thing that happened to me and I wouldn't have traded him for the world. But having him around also made me really aware of how screwed up my life really was. There I was- thirty years old with a kid out of wedlock and his mom who not only refused to marry me, but tried to block me out of his life too. There were days when I had to fight for just enough time with him so that he'd still recognize me the next time she let me back in. Not exactly the white picket fence dream I'd always had.

"You on the other hand," the corners of his lips turned up as he pulled her nearly onto his lap, "You pushed me and challenged me, but in a really good way. Getting partnered with you and seeing the world the way you saw it impressed me. What we had was completely unique- not just our phenomenal solve rate, but the way we worked so well together even though we were polar opposites. I'd also never just been friends with a woman without, you know-"

"Sleeping with her," Bones filled in, nodding, "Yes, I do remember you saying that on occasion. So you found personal value in our friendship?"

"Yup," he nodded, "Still do."

"Despite the fact that I made it very clear what my stance on the institution of marriage was?" she questioned.

"Well," he gave her a charm smile, "Yeah. But you came around on that end too, now didn't you?"

"Only, because of its importance to you," she traced a lazy circle around his chest, "And my desire to act out my love for you. I still don't need a piece of paper to be in a committed relationship with you."

"And yet, that piece of paper made me one of the happiest men in the world," he told her sincerely.

"Then perhaps this will please you as well," she slipped out of his arms and left the room.

A minute later she was back, with an envelope in hand. Sitting down beside him, she put the envelope in her lap and turned to face him.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not entirely certain as to my full motives in doing this," she said it like she was confessing to a priest or something, "It is, however, something that I have put a great deal of thought and contemplation into."

A small silence filled the room and he wondered idly if she ever made a decision without thinking it through thoroughly. He doubted it, and waited for her to speak again.

To his surprise, she didn't speak again, but rather handed him the envelope and sat back, as if waiting for his response. He accepted it, noting the federal seal on the return address stamp, and turned it over. Opening it, he frowned- it was a Social Security card. At first, he thought it must be Sadie's new card as he caught the name "Booth" on it right away. Her adoption papers were due to come in anytime now. A second look, though, told him that that was not the case. He read the name in front of him a third time and flipped the document over to be sure it was authentic. It was.

He sat there for a long moment, his mouth gaping like an idiot, eyes fixed on the small card in front of him.

"Say something," Bones' anxious voice roused him from his stunned state, "I hope you did not find my actions presumptive and I assure you it can be reversed at any time if that is the case."

"No!" he said, a little harsher than he'd wanted to, "No," he repeated gently, "I'm just a little shocked, Bones, that's all."

He was about to ask her if she was sure about this decision, then remembered her preamble about all of the thought that went into it and figured that was answer enough.

"Temperance Joy Booth," he read the name off of the card out loud for the first time, "You merged all three names?"

"Yes," she nodded, "To be honest I was more hesitant to incorporate the name 'Joy' than I was your last name. And you should know I have no intentions of changing my name in the professional world as I believe it would cause more confusion than anything else," he was still grasping for words as she continued, "My research indicates that it is not at all uncommon for women to retain their original surname for their professional identity- especially those who have gained a certain amount of celebrity status. And my publicist assures me that they are more than willing to still publish my books under the Dr. Temperance Brennan moniker- in fact she seemed relieved at the prospect and offered to handle everything as far as paying taxes and such things go.

"I was uncertain as to how you would interpret such a change," she was chattering nervously now, "But then I remembered that you are a very traditional male in your societal views and I deduced given our previous conversations that you would have little or any objections to the change-"

He enveloped her lips in his, cutting her off effectively without having to be rude about it. His tongue sought and was granted access to her mouth and he slowly drank her in, allowing the paper to fall between them as his arms moved to draw her closer.

She picked up the fallen paper, setting it gently on top of the file on the floor as she moved into his arms and up onto his lap. Her body was familiar to him now, he realized as one of his hands sought out its spot on her lower back, tracing her curves as it went. He wondered idly if he would still feel that slight rush of adrenaline every time their lips met thirty years from now and decided as her tongue grazed his teeth that she'd turn him on even if he was one hundred.

"So you approve?" she purred in his ear, heightening his senses even more.

"Oh yeah," he nodded, pulling back slightly to seek out her intoxicating blue-gray eyes, "Though to me you've been a Booth for nearly three months now."

"Thank you, Seeley," she said shyly, bowing her head.

"For what, Temperance?" he hooked a finger under her chin, her eyes moving slowly back to his.

She considered him for a long moment and he could almost see the wheels churning in her head.

"For accepting me into your family and never pressuring me to do anything beyond what I am comfortable with," she said finally, "Even before our romantic entanglement you always seemed to know instinctively how much I despised being compelled to do things. 'Don't push her,' you would tell others and more often than not you were correct. That instinct above all else has helped me come to the conclusions that I have and to formulate the decisions that I have made.

"You," she cupped a hand around the side of his face, "Are an amazing man who has endured many things in life that were not easy loads to bear. You are an amazing father," she kissed his lips, "An incredible husband," she kissed him again, "And I am proud to merge my name with yours. Not as part of an antiquated ritual that makes no sense to me, but rather as a means of showing how fully I support you in my role as your wife and how honored I am that you have invited me to be a part of your family."

They sat there, simply holding one another, their emotions clearly expressed as their eyes remained locked together. All of the doubt he had harbored about her merely being content fled as he began to comprehend how deeply she felt for him. The small voice in his head that had plagued him his entire life scoffed at him, telling him that he would never and could never deserve somebody like her. Eventually, it taunted, she'd see just how dark his darkest thoughts were and she'd leave- just like Rebecca and Tessa and Cam had before her.

He focused anew on her eyes, amazed at the strength they exuded. This was a woman, he reminded himself, whose family had left her without explanation or apology until over a decade later. She had endured three, pain-filled years in the foster system that allowed her to gain a position that led her to the identification of her mother's remains and the uncovering of the subsequent lies that she had been fed throughout all of her childhood. Her father had killed, gutted, and burned two men without remorse.

Yes, he acknowledged, this was a woman who knew what darkness looked like- and who never shied from it. She had come to accept his protection over the years, and yet she was fully capable of standing beside him as an equal. Alone they were two broken people but together they were whole and strong; they were a formidable team both personally and professionally and there was no other woman he wanted at his side.

"Are you alright?" she spoke so softly he barely heard her.

He listened for the small voice again, determined to shut it down once and for all but was greeted with silence.

"I'm good, Bones," he nodded, realizing that for perhaps the first time in his adult life he really was, "I'm good."


	40. Thai Food and Case Work

She watched as his mind processed all of the information that he'd been given, willing herself to not chatter incessantly as she had found herself doing just a moment ago. His irises shifted color along with his thought process, suddenly turning a deep brown that could rival the inky black of his pupils. They shifted again as they refocused on her own eyes and she held his steady gaze, marveling at the myriad shades of brown that paraded across them.

Admiration and pride were radiating from his eyes in stark contrast to the sadness that she'd seen there not less than a minute before and she wished she had his skill for connecting with people so that she would know how to react to what she was bearing witness to. Throughout their four-year partnership and their nearly three-month long marriage she had learned how to read the subtleties in his body language, but she was still at a loss as to what to do with it once it was interpreted.

Finally she felt compelled to say something so she softly asked if he was alright. He nodded, assuring her that he was "good" and confirming that statement with a smile that reached all the way to his eyes. He pulled her tightly to him in an embrace and she responded with equal fervor, finding herself just the slightest bit sad when he set her gently on the couch beside him and stood up.

"So, Mrs. Temperance Joy Booth," she could hear the pure delight in his voice as he spoke her legal name, "How about I order us some brain food so we can start drawing up a plan for cracking this case?"

"I presume that you are not literally suggesting that we consume animal brains?" she arched an eyebrow.

"Not unless you want me to puke all over you, no," he shook his head, "I was thinking more along the lines of Chinese or Thai- maybe some Indian if you're up for it."

She grimaced, "Indian is a bit spicy to be consuming at ten o'clock at night."

"Thai then?"

She nodded succinctly.

"I'll be back before you know it," he said, shrugging on his leather coat as she followed him to the doorway.

"Make sure-"

"I know," he grinned.

"And also-"

"Bones," he put on a hurt expression, "Have I ever done you wrong when it comes to Thai?"

"No, it's just that you always accuse me of stealing _your_ food, when in fact it is you who fails to procure enough for the two of us."

"Goodbye, Bones," he smiled, not bothering to acknowledge her statement, and planted a small peck on her cheek before making a hasty exit.

She turned back to the living room, allowing herself to bask in the euphoria that always accompanied his small gestures of affection. Collecting the file- along with her new Social Security card- she made her way out to the kitchen, where she knew they would inevitably end up. She set everything down on the island and proceeded to one of the kitchen drawers to retrieve the proper utensils.

One of the first things that had been transplanted from her apartment was her collection of chopsticks that they had both made good use of. Early on in the establishment of their late-night Asian food meals at her apartment, Seeley had found a particular pair of chopsticks that he liked and claimed them as his own. She found them with ease and selected a pair for herself, then moved back to the island. Dishes would be pointless as they always ate directly from the cartons, though she did bring out two glasses for them.

Opening the refrigerator she frowned at the selection of available beverages, finally settling on a beer for him and a glass of orange juice for herself. The aftereffects of last night's bachelorette party were still fresh in her mind and she did not feel like waking up with a headache two mornings in a row. She poured the drinks and then set them carefully back in the fridge so that they would still be cold by the time Seeley returned with the food.

Tasks completed, she sat down on one of the barstools and began separating the small Social Security card from the larger document that it had been attached to. She considered it for a moment, finding it odd to see her first name next to Seeley's surname. For so long she had always called him Booth, and truth be told it was the name that most instinctively came to her lips when referring to him- which was one reason she had insisted on calling him that while they were at work. There was a pen on the counter and she took it, signing her new name at the bottom of the card.

Temperance Joy Booth: her past, present, and future bound up in all three names.

Smiling contentedly, she set the card in her purse and began perusing the case file. Not long afterward the sound of tires pulling into the driveway followed shortly thereafter by a soft knock on the door announced Seeley's arrival. She smiled, wondering how many times her study had been impeded by that knock and she could almost picture him on the other side of the door, arms laden with food and charm smile at the ready. Of course there would be no need for him to employ it now, since she could hardly deny him access to his own house, but it was still how she would always picture him in her mind.

She opened the door to find that he indeed was carrying an armload of food, though his face wore more of a scowl than a smile.

"Jeez, Bones, what took so long?" he complained, heading for the kitchen, "It's like the subarctic out there!"

She frowned, "Booth, Washington, DC, is nowhere near the fifty to seventy degrees North latitude necessary to qualify for subarctic status, nor does our winter weather get close to the negative forty degrees Celsius mark."

"It's cold, and wet, and miserable out, Bones," he countered.

He shook his head, tiny water droplets cascading throughout the kitchen, set the bags of food on the island, and proceeded to remove his sodden jacket. Without thinking, she took it from him and hung it carefully above one of the heating vents in the living room so that it could dry properly. Apparently he had not properly fastened his jacket either, because he was peeling his very wet shirt off when she re-entered the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't realize it was raining out or I would have opened the door sooner."

"'Sokay," he shrugged, planting a kiss on her cheek, "Besides, you can make it up to me by warming me up," a grin spread across his face and his eyebrows moved up and down in rapid succession.

"I give you full permission to seduce me," she paused, enjoying how his grin grew noticeably wider, "_After_ we work on the case."

"You drive a hard bargain, Temperance," he groaned.

"Yes I do," she nodded firmly, "And employing the use of my first name in order to engender me to your immediate proposition will be of no use, nor will standing here topless and dripping wet, so I suggest that you go upstairs and change so that we can get some work accomplished."

"Will you get topless and dripping wet for me later if I do?" he whispered huskily in her ear.

An involuntary shiver ran down her spine, but she kept the thought of Sadie's birth-mother's killer still on the loose at the forefront of her mind so as to keep her libido at bay. She grasped her husband's shoulders- ignoring the bare skin and sculpted muscles- and turned him around to face in the direction of the stairs.

"Go," she ordered, and for once he actually listened and went.

Minutes later, he returned, this time in a white tank top and his low-slung gray sweatpants. She briefly thought about changing into equally comfortable attire, but decided it would be best for their ability to concentrate on the case if she did not.

With no more than a simple smile, he sat down on the opposite side of the island from her, handed her half of the stack of papers from the file, and began retrieving the food from the bags. She moved to the fridge, returning with their drinks and handed him his chopsticks. Nodding his thanks, he smiled and began eating immediately.

For the next hour the only noises that could be heard were the rustling of papers and the sound of food being consumed. The contents of the file along with the cartons of food were passed back and forth in an elaborately choreographed dance between them with an efficiency and grace borne of far too many dinners shared in the exact same way. Booth was busy scribbling away on his writing tablet as he always did, while she carefully catalogued every detail in her mind in a vain attempt to connect the information with her findings from the lab.

"So what do you think?" he asked, breaking the silence as the last of the now-empty cartons was pushed aside.

"I believe that Arthur Burke's organization is far more complex than we had originally hypothesized," she answered, arching her back, which was stiff from being hunched over, "However, as there is no genetic profile, nor has he been sighted at the warehouse as of yet, I am unable to firmly link him to Candie's death."

"Just the fact that he went off-grid right around when Candie was killed is enough for my gut," he told her, "But you're right about this being big, and I haven't decided whether big is good or bad."

She raised an eyebrow, not sure what he meant by that last statement.

"Good," he explained, "Would mean that it's big enough for us to hunt him down and nail his carcass to the wall for everything. Bad," he ran a hand through his hair, "Would mean that he's so pro we'll never touch him, and even if we find him, he'll walk."

"We have DNA from the fingernail found in with the remains," she reminded him, "That alone could be the link we need if he is indeed the killer. Not to mention the rose quartz, though I see nothing in this file that would link that to him yet," she sighed, weary from the months they'd invested, "We simply do not have a lot of concrete evidence to work with at this juncture."

"Hey," Seeley stood up and began massaging her shoulders and upper back, "Hey, we'll get this guy, all right? All of this is good stuff and it's the closest we've had to a break the whole case. I've got ten pages of notes over there with a tactical plan for how to get everything we need. We've got twenty-four hour surveillance going at the warehouse and by Monday we'll have a satellite hookup so that it can be beamed in real-time either to me at the Hoover or you at the lab."

"What can I do?" she asked, unsure of her role with so little forensics involved.

"On_ Monday_," he stressed the word, "I need you squints to get every scrap of physical evidence we found with Candie's body out and ready to match to whatever we find. I also need you to give Sweets your findings as far as Candie's injuries. Maybe he can work up a profile and link Burke in some psychological way once we nab him."

"You said that by then we will be able to view live video footage, correct?" she asked, a thought coming to mind. He nodded and she continued, "I believe that if we can acquire accurate measuring of Burke, Angela can then run the live footage through her mass recognition program and determine if he is among those going in and out of the warehouse."

"That'd be great," he nodded enthusiastically, "Burke worked over at Bally's so I'm sure they've got him on their security footage somewhere; as long as they keep the old tapes."

"If not, we may be able to glean enough information for a profile based on his medical records," she added.

"I put in the requisition order for those yesterday," he informed her as they began cleaning up the mess from the food, "Not sure when they'll come in, but I'll get them to you as soon as I can. And I'll call Bally's first thing Monday morning for that footage."

"It would seem that we have a sound plan in place," she smiled up at him as he put all of the scattered papers back in the file.

"Yeah, Bones," he returned the smile, "I think we do. And you know what?" she looked up at him and merely raised an eyebrow, knowing he would answer his own question, "This felt really good tonight."

"What do you mean by this?" she asked.

"This," he picked up the last of the empty cartons and waved it at her before throwing it in the garbage can, "Aw, com'on, Bones: late night Thai food, working the case, planning our next move. It just felt- normal for once, you know?"

She did know and she smiled, nodding in agreement, "Yes. Considering all of the upheaval that we have experienced, tonight did seem much more natural in regards to our 'normal' behavior- though normal is a rather relative term."

"You doing okay?" his tone and facial features told her that he was concerned, "With all of the change?"

"I am adapting," she told him, "If that's what you mean. I will admit that there have been difficulties along the way, however, I have not yet encountered anything that has completely overwhelmed me.

"I meant what I said on the dance floor," she met his eyes, "I am content with life as we have chosen for it to be."

"Good," he extended his arms and she moved into his embrace, "Do you know what the best part of this new setup is?"

"Enlighten me."

He placed a tender kiss on her brow, "Now that we're done with the food and the case stuff for the night, we don't have to go our separate ways because we're both already home. Probably the worst thing for me after all those late nights at your place was having to come home to a cold, empty house."

She simply nodded, remembering the vast number of times that she had nearly invited him to stay. Not so much for the sake of luring him into her bedroom- which if she was honest she'd thought about from time to time as well- but rather for his companionship. After years of seeing herself as an independent, solitary person, she had found as time wore on that she grew lonely when he was not around.

"Well," she smiled, deciding to lighten the mood, "It would appear that your house is neither cold, nor empty now."

"Nope," he leaned down for a kiss, meeting her lips which were already on their way to his.

"Mmm," she reveled in the kiss, moving her hand up and down across his shirt, "You look very attractive in your tank top, Seeley."

"Tank tops are for girls, Bones," he half-growled into her ear.

"Then what is it referred to as on a male?" she questioned as he took her hand and began steering her up the stairs toward the bedroom.

"A wife beater," he said simply.

"That is a horribly offensive name," she wrinkled her nose in distaste, "Why in the world would someone choose to glorify spousal abuse in that manner?"

"It doesn't-" he stopped short and shook his head, "You know what? I'm not even going to go there, Bones."

"Go where?" she was very confused now.

"Don't worry about it," he soothed, a charm smile dawning on his face, "The only place we going to go tonight is to bed."

"Indeed," she grinned alluringly at him as they crossed the threshold and closed the bedroom door, "And what is it you plan to do once we reach the bed?"

"Seduce my wife, of course," he answered, pulling the shirt over his head in one smooth motion as he proceeded to do just that.


	41. Monday Morning

Sunday came and went quickly and before Booth knew it, it was Monday morning and the alarm clock was reminding him that it was time to get up and face the day. Opening his eyes he smiled at the still-sleeping form beside him. A year ago if someone had told him that he and Bones would not only be together, but married, he would've laughed in their face. Now, however, it seemed like one of the most natural things in the world, though he knew he would never tire of it.

"Are you going to stare at me all morning or turn off the alarm?" she grumbled up at him, eyes still closed.

He shut off the alarm and turned back to face her, grinning, "How about both?"

Settling back under the covers, he reached out and pulled her closer to him, surprised at her lack of resistance. For a long moment they simply lay together, each enjoying the other's presence. One of the things he'd always loved about Bones was that she didn't feel the need to fill silence with empty chatter. She was facing him, her breath hitting his chest in short, even bursts, eyes locked on his, causing the rest of the world to fade into the background.

He could get lost in the depths of her eyes for hours and never regret it.

A shriek from the next room broke the moment, bringing them back to reality once again. He offered a tender smile reserved only for her in their most intimate moments, indulged in a short kiss, and got out of bed to get Sadie.

The little girl was standing up in her crib, bouncing up and down as she waited to be freed. It struck him as the crib shook underneath of her that she'd grown an awful lot in the past three months and maybe it was time to switch her to a toddler bed before she hurt herself.

"Dada!" she greeted him, jumping up into his extended arms, "Hung'y."

"You're hungry, huh?" he smiled, moving her to the changing table and making quick work of the task before setting her down on the floor, "Well, how 'bout we go round up your mommy and get some breakfast?"

Sadie nodded enthusiastically and tore off in the direction of her parent's bedroom, leaving him to follow at a leisurely pace. When he reached the room he found Sadie contentedly sitting on the bed watching Bones change.

"She's hungry," Booth informed his wife as he moved into the walk-in closet to change where Sadie wouldn't see him.

"That's not surprising," she replied, selecting a pair of earrings for the day, "I am also hungry and there is no doubt in my mind that you are as well."

"Gotta feed the machine," he grinned.

"Be that as it may," she arched an eyebrow at him, "Should you ever decide to pursue a more sedentary lifestyle you will need to decrease the number of calories you consume in a given day. In fact, you should probably begin practicing better eating habits now. The body's metabolism decreases significantly as you approach middle age."

"Bones," he rolled his eyes, "I'm not even forty yet, gimme a break."

"You are only a couple of years shy of forty," she pointed out, "And your eating habits are far from sound."

"I'm not forty 'til I get there," he protested, coming out to join his girls, "And even then, it's not like I'm going to fall apart."

"Of course you won't," she smiled, smoothing his tie down the length of his chest before turning on one heel to leave the room, "Where your eating habits are poor, your physical fitness regimen is superb; and the most likely reason that you have maintained the superior physique that you have."

"That means Mommy thinks Daddy's _hot_," Booth translated for Sadie as they went down for food, "Smokin' hot."

"Smokin'!" Sadie giggled, mimicking how he'd said the word.

He chuckled, earning him a smack on the shoulder from his wife and a glare.

"You know," Bones said as they settled around the table with their food, "Sadie's language development skills are in need of improvement and you are not aiding in that cause."

"Aw, what's wrong with the way she talks, Bones?" he asked.

"Seeley," he could hear the exasperation in her voice, "Sadie is nearing two years of age and still speaks, for the most part, in one to two word sentences. I've no doubt that her language skills were impaired by the treatment she received at the hands of the Lanes, however, it is now our responsibility to see that she learns to communicate effectively for her age."

Thinking back on it, Booth did remember that Parker had jabbered almost nonstop when he was Sadie's age. Not that he'd always understood what his son was saying, but he _had_ talked a lot more and in longer sentences. He looked at the little girl smiling away like she didn't have a care in the world as she shoved her cheerios in her mouth and slurped down milk from her sippy cup.

He leaned over and spoke softly to Bones so that Sadie wouldn't hear him, "You don't think anything's wrong with her do you?"

"No," she shook her head, "Her skeletal structure is developing at the rate that it should, as are her fine and gross motor skills. She appears to comprehend speech well, she simply does not respond to it, or finds alternate ways of communicating her needs to us. We could take her to a pediatrician, however, I believe they will only confirm what I suspect- that Sadie was neglected from the time she was born and that her language acquisition skills are behind as a result."

Booth looked sadly at his new little daughter and felt a surge of anger toward her grandparents. He knew that Bones was right. From what they'd gathered from Maddie, the younger kids were kept in a small room for the majority of the day while Maddie was at school and were largely ignored. Maddie seemed to be bright enough to be unaffected, but he thought back to all of the work that Bones and the private school in Maryland had done with Joey to help him catch up to where he should be for Pre-K. It had never occurred to him that Sadie's verbal skills were off, or that it had anything to do with her previous home.

"Will she, you know, be okay?" he asked as they cleaned up, making sure that Sadie was busy playing in the living room.

"Yes," she laid a hand on his arm and smiled reassuringly, "She will have no trouble catching up to her peers by the time she is old enough for school. We simply need to do things such as require her to ask for thing in a complete sentence, as well as not responding to the gestures that she makes. I believe that she is capable of talking far more than she chooses to as she seems to understand things quite well. It just needs to be required of her more often and considering the rapport we've built with her over the past several months I do not see that we will encounter any resistance from her."

"Ya know, Bones," he said, sitting down heavily on a barstool and running his fingers through his hair, "Some days I'm just not sad at all that Graft took out the grandparents. I'm not sure if that makes me a horrible person or not, but when I think of what they put those kids through my blood boils."

"It angers me as well," she told him, "However I am always thankful that we were able to intervene when we did."

"Me too," he sighed with a sad smile. "Well," he stood up, slapping his thighs, "I have a doc to get to and a full day ahead so I should get going."

Bones looked at the clock and nodded, "Yes, I'd planned to be in at the lab by eight so I should leave as well. Should I take Sadie with me? The Jeffersonian has a highly reputable day care program."

Booth thought about it for a long minute as they went to round up Sadie and clean up the mess of toys that were strewn across the living room. As much as he wanted her to be at the Hoover for consistency's sake, he knew it was going to be a very busy day for him and having to check her in and out of the day care- not to mention keep her occupied before, during, and after his doctor's appointment- just didn't seem right.

"Looks like you're off to the Jeffersonian today, kiddo," he told Sadie, "You can help Mommy squint at bones all day."

"Seeley," Bones reproved him, "That would be highly irresponsible of me to allow her to view any skeletal remains; especially those of our current victim. Not only that, but it would be against the lab's protocol and as I said before, there is adequate day care available. I'm certain that being attached to the Jeffersonian, there will also be an emphasis on enriching the children's lives and not merely entertaining them."

He thought about picking a fight with her, but the clock told him they really didn't have the time, so instead he just smirked and shrugged and helped her get everything together that Sadie would need for the day. In five minutes they were packed and out the door. Booth had to wrestle for a few minutes to get the car seat installed in Bones' two-door sports car, but eventually he managed to get both the seat and Sadie in the right way.

"See you for lunch?" he asked as Bones got in the driver's seat.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with your work," she told him, "I know you have a great deal that you with to accomplish today and I don't want you to neglect that in order to fulfill a social obligation with me."

"I need to get Angela hooked up to the satellite feed anyway," he reminded her, "Plus collect all the stuff you squints are gonna get ready for us this morning," he smiled when she nodded at his logic and leaned his head through the open door, "And Bones, you stopped being a social obligation years ago."

With that, he gave her one last smile and shut the door of her car, waving to Sadie in the backseat. Sadie waved back and Bones smiled back and as he watched them pull out of the driveway he felt warm all the way down to his toes despite the cold November weather.

Flipping his lucky poker chip into the air, he hopped in the SUV and took off. He made it to the doctor's office with only a few minutes to spare and was taken right back to the examining room. The doc poked and prodded him, and in the end he got the all-clear to work full days at the office. He was also more than pleased to hear that he should be able to be cleared for field duty in a week and that he could start exercising again. He hid a smile at the doc's insistence that he ease back into exercising, knowing that Bones wouldn't let him do anything stupid anyway.

Booth thanked the doctor for his time, collected the paperwork that he would need to show Cullen from the receptionist, and headed for the Hoover. By the time he dropped off the health form with Cullen, Charlie was waiting for him in his office. The two men wasted no time and got right down to business.

Charlie filled Booth in on what had proved to be an uneventful weekend at the warehouse. It appeared that they were, ironically, closed for business on Sundays as no one was seen going in or out the entire day. Booth pulled out the ten-page plan that he'd drawn up for the tac team and he and Charlie went over it step by step to make sure everything was ready to be implemented. Bones had done him a huge favor by spending the majority of last night typing out his hand-written notes for him so that it would be all ready to present.

Charlie also hooked Booth's computer up to the satellite feed and showed him what he would need to do to get it up and running at the Jeffersonian. Fortunately, the program virtually ran itself as Booth still wasn't the biggest tech buff on the block. Charlie seemed really excited at the mention of Angela's mass recognition software and Booth promised to keep him in the loop.

It was nearing noon by the time Booth found himself alone in his office. Plugging in his jump drive from home, he printed out several copies of the tac team plan so that he could submit it to the proper people- Cullen being the most important of those. He packed each copy neatly into a manila envelope, addressed them correctly, and sent them off through the inter-office mail. He then made the call to Bally's, asking for their security footage. Fortunately for him they had a digital system that they kept backed up for three years, so he was able to get several different clips of Burke from them. By noon he had wrapped up everything he needed to at the Hoover and was on his way to the Jeffersonian for lunch with his girls.


	42. At the Lab

It was seven-thirty when the two Booth girls pulled into the Jeffersonian parking garage. They made their way up to the building that housed the day care facilities. The head caretaker greeted them both with a smile, handing Temperance the necessary paperwork to be filled out, while ushering Sadie in to join the handful of children whose parents also came in early. The caretaker assured Dr. Brennan that her daughter would be well taken care of, showing her a list of the daily activities that took place.

Temperance was pleased to find that the program was well-structured and that once a week the children were taken to a different area of the museum to complement what was being taught in the room. She smiled, knowing that her husband would be pleased to know there were several "play times" scheduled throughout the day as well. Feeling confident that Sadie would be positively stimulated and receive the verbal prompting that she needed, the forensic anthropologist gave her a hug and left.

Once she entered the lab area, she put all thoughts of her family out of her head for the time being and began making a mental checklist of things that needed to be accomplished before lunch. Soon she found herself in her office, at her desk, eyeing the stack of papers that had accumulated on it over the weekend. The deadline for her graduate students to turn in their mid-semester project was set for this coming Friday and she resigned herself to the fact that the papers would continue to flow in until- and in the case of at least two derelict students that she could think of- after that date. It was one of her least favorite aspects of her job.

"That time of year again, huh, sweetie?" Angela's cheerful greeted her as the artist plopped herself unceremoniously onto the couch.

"Yes," she nodded, "Though I was hoping to avoid it this semester due to my extended absence."

"No rest for the weary," Angela smiled.

"Indeed," Temperance smiled back, "Speaking of which, I am still surprised that you and Hodgins chose not to go on a post-nuptial excursion. From the way Booth explained it, that is the natural course of events; though of course we ourselves did not get one given the highly unorthodox circumstances that surrounded our wedding."

"It's a honeymoon, sweetie," Angela informed her, yawning, "You should take Booth on one some time. And we decided not to go on one for a couple of reasons," the scientist waited in silence, knowing that eventually her friend would expound on that, "For one thing, we have this case and for another, I'm just now at the point where I don't want to puke every other minute. Besides, the mansion's way better than what we'd get at a five-star hotel and I don't have to worry about anyone seeing my fat baby belly in a bikini."

"Those are valid points," she acceded, "Though you are far from obese."

"Thanks, hon," Angela said, "You just keep telling me that when I get cankles and start looking like a beached whale."

"Water weight and protracted skin due to the womb's growth _are_ to be expected during pregnancy," Temperance told her friend, "Though statistically it should not take long for your body to regain its original shape afterwards as this is your first child."

"And on that cheery note I'll get back to my Monday morning," the artist sighed, rising from the couch and heading for the door with a smile and a wave.

Temperance smiled back, not fully certain whether Angela was being sarcastic or not, but deciding that it didn't really matter. A glance at her clock told her that she still had an hour and a half remaining before Cam's customary morning meeting. As there was little else to do until then, she turned back to the stack of papers awaiting her and began grading them.

The meeting was a fairly standard one for a Monday morning. Cam informed them of the different tasks that were expected of them throughout the week from the Jeffersonian and some of the other organizations that they worked closely with for authentications and the like, then turned the meeting over to Dr. Brennan, who doled out the assignments that Booth had given for their current case. Hodgins looked eager to go over the particulates from the case once more, and Angela confirmed that her mass recognition software should be able to meet their needs. Dr. Sweets was on-hand this morning in lieu of Booth's absence and he assured them that he would have a psychological profile of the killer ready by the end of the day.

Satisfied that her crew knew exactly what was expected of them, Cam released them from the meeting with a stern reminder to keep her informed of any and all developments. For her part, Temperance was thankful that the meeting didn't go any longer than necessary and made her way back to her office. She worked her way through the stack of term papers, then moved on to the e-mail correspondences, pausing, when interrupted, to sign off on reports from Clark and Wendell as they completed their tasks.

She was typing a response to a colleague from South Carolina when a small hand tapped her on the forearm. Turning suddenly, she found herself face-to-face with Sadie, who was sitting atop her desk, smiling.

"Time to eat," the little girl said as if repeating the words from memory, beaming up at her for a smile.

Temperance obliged, scooping her up off of the desk to sit in her lap before regarding Booth, who looked almost as pleased with himself as Sadie did.

"Hey," he held up his hands as if fending off an attack, "You were the one who wanted her to start talking in complete sentences, Bones."

"And you decided to begin her training with one of your favorite subjects, I see," she replied dryly.

"Gotta start somewhere," he shrugged, "And you know, everyone-"

"Has to eat," she finished his oft-repeated saying for him, nodding, "Yes, I recall hearing that from time to time."

"Time to eat," Sadie repeated, squirming to free herself from her mother's lap, "Hung'y, Mamma!"

The two adults laughed, and both moved to get ready to leave.

"Diner?" Booth asked as he helped her into her overcoat.

She nodded, smiling as they each took one of Sadie's hands and headed for the parking garage. As soon as they entered the garage, Booth picked Sadie up and captured his wife's now-empty hand in his own, their fingers entwining instinctively. They remained connected until they reached his SUV, at which point they realized that the car seat was in her car. Booth was not thrilled about having to maneuver Sadie in such tight confines, but he did and soon they were there and seated in their usual booth, with a highchair pulled up for Sadie.

"So how was your morning, Bones?" he asked once they had placed their orders.

"Long," she informed him, "I had several term papers to go over from my grad students. It still astounds me how poor their grammar can be at times for how much education they have received thus far."

"Still bad?" he asked, sympathetically.

"At times," she repeated, "Though my colleagues who teach at the undergrad level assure me it is worse there than at the graduate level- which is one of the reasons I have turned down the collegiate offers I receive from time to time."

"You mean you don't want to be Professor Brennan?" he teased.

"Not at all," she assured him, "While I recognize that I have gained a great wealth of knowledge over time, I have no inclination to teach outside of the graduate level, save the occasional guest lecture- though even those can be trying at times."

"Just as well," he smiled, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and she arched an eyebrow at him, "You'd distract all the horny college guys."

She opened her mouth to dispute him, but was interrupted by their waitress' arrival with the food. The soup smelled especially good this afternoon, so she turned to it rather than back to Booth. Sadie seemed more than pleased with the grilled cheese sandwich they had ordered for her and Booth immediately began working on the large hamburger that he had ordered.

"What was your doctor's prognosis?" she asked when they were well into the meal.

"Cleared for full-time desk duty," he smiled, revealing a piece of lettuce that was lodged between his two front teeth, "And I can start exercising again too."

"Does he believe you will be healed enough to go out into the field next week?" she asked, trying not to sound overly eager.

"Yeah, Bones," he grinned, "We'll be back out in the field as long as I don't re-injure anything between now and then."

"Good," she nodded.

"You miss it," he said, wagging a fry at her.

"Miss what?" she asked innocently, grabbing the fry from him and eating it.

"Going out in the field with me," he responded knowingly, "And don't try and deny it, Temperance, I know you too well."

She shrugged, snatching another fry from his plate and handing half of it to Sadie, "I do enjoy it, though right now there are a fair number of activities at the Jeffersonian that require my time as well, so I suppose it is just as well you are incapacitated at the moment."

"Thanks for the sympathy," he said dryly, though she could tell he was teasing her.

"Were you able to acquire any video footage of Arthur Burke?" she asked.

"Yup," he nodded through his final mouthful of food, "Got plenty of angles of him so Angela should have no problem getting a good read on him. And Charlie showed me how to get her hooked into the satellite feed too."

"We should return to the lab then," she said, turning to wipe the crumbs off of Sadie's face.

"Aw, Bones, I haven't gotten my pie yet," her partner complained.

"Yummy pie!" Sadie exclaimed.

Temperance rolled her eyes at the two of them and told Booth to get the pie to go while she went out to the car to put Sadie in her seat. He nodded, pulling out his wallet and they parted ways. He returned to the car with a paper bag and two cups of coffee, frowning because she had claimed the driver's seat.

"Not fair," he grumbled.

"My car," she smirked, nodding for him to fasten his seatbelt before she pulled out into traffic.

He groused again at having to wear the restraint, but said little due to Sadie's presence in the back seat. She smiled ruefully that a man who took great pride in protecting others protested using a seatbelt for himself. They had argued the topic to no avail, but she had been adamant that any time he was a passenger in her car, he was to be properly buckled. After all, she pointed out during one particularly spirited discussion, she was a civilian and therefore bound to uphold the seatbelt law.

Her partner's mood was further darkened when he offered to share a bite of his pie with Sadie. She accepted the bite enthusiastically, but then proceeded to spit it out almost immediately, proclaiming it, "Yucky!"

"Apparently, I am not the only person who does not like my food cooked," Temperance told him as she pulled into her parking space.

His frown deepened and he said nothing, exiting the car and leaving her to help Sadie out of her car seat. Knowing that his mood would pass, Temperance took Sadie back to the daycare center alone. By the time she gained her office, Booth was sitting on her couch and had finished his pie.

"Coffee?" he offered meekly.

She accepted the peace offering and sat down beside him.

"Sorry," he said after a moment's silence, "I'm just ready to get back in the field and get this case put to rest once and for all."

"It does seem to be taking much longer than most of our cases," she nodded understandingly, pretending not to notice that he had slipped his arm behind her and was resting his hand on her shoulder, "And the evidence is not as abundant as usual either."

"Not to mention we spent months chasing the wrong guy," his frown was back.

"Booth," she laid a soothing hand on his thigh, "Graft deserved to be put away every bit as much as I believe Arthur Burke does. He killed Sadie's father, and the Lane grandparents, and he attempted to kill you as well. I have no regrets about our time in Maryland, as it obviously kept the children safe and provided us with the opportunity to capture Graft. Now we will not be distracted in our pursuit of Burke and can focus solely at that task from here in DC."

"Yeah," he smiled tenderly at her and she squeezed his thigh reassuringly.

"Um, Bones?"

"Yes, Booth?"

"You might want to move your hand now," he squirmed uncomfortably, removing his arm from around her.

"Why?" she frowned.

"Because right now, we're supposed to be partners," red began creeping up his neck, "And your hand there, it's- um- making me think very unpartnerly-like thoughts."

"Oh," understanding dawned on her, "Yes, I can see that now," she retracted her hand, "I didn't realized you were so easily arou-"

"Angela!" Booth leapt to his feet, spinning to greet their guest, "How's the blushing bride?"

"Not blushing nearly as much as you," the artist grinned, "Are you two doing naughty things on that couch?"

"No!" the partners claimed simultaneously, as Temperance stood up as well.

"Well if you aren't you should be," Angela pointed to the two of them, "It'd be hot, trust me!"

"Angela, did you and Hodgins fornicate on my couch?" Temperance blurted out.

Booth reddened one shade further.

"Fornicate is such a yummy word," Angela mused, "But no, I'll leave that to you two."

"That would be impossible as fornication by definition is sexual intercourse outside of marriage and Booth and I are married," the scientist pointed out, ignoring her husband's gestures to stop talking, "Not to mention it would be highly impractical given all of the sophisticated security equipment in place in my office."

"Yeah," the artist agreed, "Though Cam's pretty good about giving you the DVD footage."

"Speaking of footage," Booth interjected loudly, producing a jump drive from his pocket, "I've got some of Burke for you from the Bally's where he worked, Angela."

"Ooh, great!" Angela said, taking it from him, "And you are way too cute when you're all hot 'n' bothered, big guy," she winked before deliberately sashaying out of the room.

"New rule," Booth said softly once they were alone again, "No sex talk at work."

"Perhaps that would be wisest," Temperance agreed, "Shall we get back to the case, then?"

"Yes," he nodded vigorously, "Let's do that."


	43. Boundaries and Developments

After taking a deep breath and focusing on anything but the warmth left from his wife's hand, Booth shook his head a few times to clear it and he and Bones headed for Angela's office. The artist was already at her desk, hunched over the computer- which had several windows open and running simultaneously- inputting the data on Burke from the security footage.

"Do you believe there is enough data to create an accurate mapping for the mass recognition program?" Bones asked, sitting down opposite from her friend while Booth took the other open chair.

"Should be," Angela answered, clearly distracted, "I'll let you know in a minute."

Apparently satisfied with that answer, Bones turned to him next.

"How certain are you that Arthur Burke committed this crime considering that our only solid link between Burke and the victim is the word of a career criminal?"

"Look, he was her pimp, we know that much, and her picture on his company's underground website is a link too, don't forget," he continued ticking off points on his fingers, "Next, you've got the fact that he goes missing right after she does, _and_ Graft might be a criminal, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know a thing or two about the way things went down."

"But how can we be sure that Burke did not simply hire someone to kill Candie in the same manner that Graft was hired to kill whoever stood in his way in his efforts to obtain the missing diary pages?" her brow was furrowed and he could tell she was not comfortable with his assumptions.

"Look, it just _feels_ right," he connected with her eyes, trying to get his point across without causing a scene in front of Angela.

"It's seems like a very circumstantial case," she was still frowning, "And it would be poor usage of government funding to put so many resources into finding a man who may or may not be involved in the case at all."

"Maybe forensically it's circumstantial," he agreed, "But the rest of it points straight to him. I'd bet my gun on it."

Instead of the joke lightening her mood, her face only became darker.

"What 'rest of it' is there?" she wanted to know, "We certainly have very little to convince a jury with, and why would you bet your gun? Should I be concerned that you are slipping back into your addictive gambling tendencies?"

At that, he clenched his jaw, jamming his hands in his pockets to finger his lucky poker chip as he tried hard not to let her get under his skin. It was times like this that reminded him how polar opposite they were. To her empirical way of thinking, no evidence meant no viable suspect, but seeing video footage of the guy _and_ finding that website, had sent red flags up all over the place for him and in his gut he _knew_ they were going after the right guy.

"Charming as this battle of the wits is," Angela cut into the growing tension, "I've got something."

Immediately, the two Booths dropped their debate, sat up straight, and focused on Angela, who had turned her monitor toward them so that they could see what she was talking about.

"Okay," she said, once she had their full attention, "I've fed all of the measurements into the mass recognition program that I could pull on Burke, and I think it's safe to say it's pretty accurate. Now I'm using the software you brought over from the Hoover to hook into the satellite feed and marry it to everything I've got running here. I'm also going to have that computer over there," she pointed to a smaller one in the corner of her office, "Scan through the last couple of days' worth of feed and make sure we didn't miss anything over the weekend."

"Will the results be in real-time?" Booth wondered.

"No," she shook her head, "I'll be about five to ten minutes behind what the feed is giving us, because the computer takes that long to scan everyone in the frame before giving us the results. Now, I should be able to program it to ignore all of the guards, so that it's not always scanning them, but with so many people going in and out…" she shrugged and offered half a smile.

"Hey," Booth told her, "You do what you can, okay? It'll be quicker than doing things manually."

Angela nodded and Booth and Bones watched in awe as the artist's fingers flew over the keyboard. Green grids began popping up all over one of the windows as the feed was frozen into frames, the computer whirring to make its calculations. Angela tapped a few more keys and watched as reading after reading turned up negative for the person they were searching for.

"A rose by any other name…" three heads turned as Hodgins strode into the room a goofy grin on his face, "Well, actually, it's a derivative of silicon dioxide, but rose quartz just sounds so much better."

"Find something useful?" Booth asked, not particularly in the mood to be bored with squint speak at the moment.

"Yeah, actually," for once Hodgins interpreted Booth's body language right off the bat, "I took another look at the rose quartz we found crushed underneath Candie's body. At first I thought it was just run of the mill stuff. I mean, quartz isn't exactly the hardest thing in the world to find, but when I looked at the shards up close, well… you'll have to see this to believe it."

"Might as well," Angela shrugged, standing up, "This could take a while here and it'll alert us if it finds anything."

The four of them trooped down to Hodgins' station, fixing their gaze on the enlarged stone on the computer screen.

"This is quartz?" Bones asked.

"Yup," Hodgins was getting excited, "Once I got a look at it up close I was blown away by the clarity," he turned to Booth to explain, "Rose quartz is fairly cloudy and rarely ever used as a gemstone. This one is pretty high-quality and in this crystallized state is known better as pink quartz. It wouldn't have been cheap. I also found as I examined it that some of the edges were deliberately cut, rather than crushed."

"Suggesting that it had been cut by a jeweler?" Bones asked.

"Exactly," Hodgins nodded, "So I scanned in all of the fragments we found and thanks to one of Angie's programs, it came up with this…"

He leaned over and pressed a button on the keyboard and the scattered fragments on the screen coalesced into a single image.

"A heart," Angela breathed, even though there were several pieces missing.

"Yeah," Hodgins nodded, "Now, quartz isn't the easiest thing to break, but this was pretty delicate work to begin with and thin too, so if the killer hit it, say, with the tip of the shovel he used to bury the body," he shrugged, "Then you get what we've got here," he gestured to the miniscule fragments under the magnifying glass.

"Any way to track down the jeweler?" Booth wondered out loud.

"Already there, big guy," Hodgins' goofy grin was back, "There's an online company called 'Rock My World' that deals with this kind of thinner, more customized stuff- and they specialize in pink quartz work. Even better than that, when you flip the heart over, there's some kind of inscription on it and if we can figure out what it says, we can trace it back to whoever placed the order."

"Move over," Angela ordered, stepping up to the computer.

Hodgins moved back to join Booth and Bones as Angela began manipulating the image on the screen. She rotated the 3-D stone until the back was visible. Her fingers raced across the keyboard, enhancing the image while maintaining the sharpness of the image. Slowly, the faint lines turned into two etched letters: a "C" and an "L" written in a fancy script.

"Candie Lane," Booth said, his mind racing to try and figure out how this latest piece fit into the puzzle, "You got a number for this 'Rock My World' place?" he asked Hodgins.

Angela stepped back again to let Hodgins bring up the information.

"Good," Booth nodded once the info came up, "Ange, can you get me a digital picture of this that I can e-mail the company?"

"No problem," she nodded, "I'll e-mail it from here to Bren's computer if you want and you can send it on from there."

"Why don't we simply go visit them?" Bone asked, "They're based in Maryland."

"I'm grounded, remember?" Booth smiled, "No field work."

"That's ridiculous," she shook her head, "It's not as if the jewelers are our suspects."

"Yeah, well, Cullen won't see it that way, so we'll just use old Ma Bell instead," he told her, calling back over his shoulder as he made a bee-line for her office, "Good work, Hodgins."

"Ma Bell?" she asked, clearly confused but hard on his heels as they jogged up to her office.

"Phone," he said shortly, not feeling like explaining it to her.

She protested with a huff when he beat her to her office and took her desk chair, willing the computer to come back to life from its sleep state quickly. He could see her in his peripheral, hands crossing her chest, though at least she hadn't bodily removed him yet. Her hands moved to her hips and she protested loudly as he brought up her e-mail account, typed in the password, and was admitted into the program.

A few clicks of the mouse later and he had opened the file that Angela had sent, blessing the artist who was thoughtful enough to include the phone number for "Rock My World" in with the photo. Silencing his stewing wife with a hand, he took out his cell and dialed the number on the screen.

To Booth's relief, the number was a direct line to one of the sales reps, who immediately put him in touch with her manager when he explained who he was and why he was calling. The manager had Booth e-mail him the picture. Once the manager opened the file and compared it to their sales records, he connected Booth directly to the jeweler who had designed the piece originally.

The jeweler did indeed remember the client who had commissioned the piece and answered all of Booth's questions willingly. When he'd collected all of the information that he could, Booth thanked the jeweler for his time and hung up. He then e-mailed another file to the manager, after which he accessed the FBI database and began pecking away at the keyboard.

"Jackpot!" he told Bones, who was still standing with her hands on her hips, though she didn't look quite as peeved as she had earlier, "That piece was commissioned by a guy claiming to be Anthony Burton, who matches the description of our guy Burke. I e-mailed them a picture for a positive ID, and I'm running the credit card number that he used to place the order."

"How would the jeweler have met him if it's an online company?" she asked as they waited for the results.

"Apparently, he came in to pick it up," Booth informed her, "And they met via web-cam a few times too. Plus, get this: up until a year ago, this guy was one of their top clients. He commissioned one last piece and then 'Poof!' he dropped off the map and they haven't heard anything from him since.

"They're gonna e-mail me all of the pictures they have on file for the stuff this guy's had commissioned over the years if the ID matches. Fortunately they're small, so everything's still on record."

"I am capable of utilizing my own e-mail account, you realize?" she pouted, sitting down in the chair across from him, "Or you could've used your own."

"Yours was open already," he shrugged, sitting back in her chair, "It was quicker."

"Because you stole my password again," she accused.

"I did not _steal_ it," he insisted, "But I do know you, Bones, and like I've said, it's not like you guys choose complicated passwords."

A chiming sound interrupted any further argument as the jeweler's response entered her in-box. Two clicks later, they had confirmation that Burke had been the one to commission the heart that they had found, along with thirteen other hearts, each with different initials. On a hunch, Booth rifled through the case file on Bones' desk until he found the list of names from the hidden website that Angela had discovered.

Sure enough, each of the initials on the commissioned hearts corresponded with the girls that were featured on the website.

"Booth look," Bones pointed to the screen, "According to the jeweler, the pieces weren't set in a standard silver or gold chain but in-"

"Hemp," he finished, reading the last line of the jeweler's e-mail.

"Yes," Bones nodded, "The hemp would have broken down in the sandy surface over a year's time, explaining why we found nothing at the scene, though we should see if Hodgins has found anything resembling hemp amongst the particulates," she sat back in her chair, crossing her legs and looking thoughtful, "It seems as if the jewelry was a way for Burke to mark his property."

"Come again?"

"Anthropologically speaking, men mark their property; especially when it comes to females," she said, "Suitors traditionally bring small tokens of their affection to their lovers so that other males will know that they are 'taken' during courtship, much like a rancher brands his cattle. Not that it isn't deplorable that Burke sees these women as his property, but he has, in a sense, branded them as his own using these unique jewelry pieces to do so."

"That's just wrong," Booth was disgusted.

"Yes," she nodded, "Though one could argue that my engagement ring- and even our wedding rings- serves that purpose as well."

"Bones!" he looked right at her, "Your engagement ring was special- something that defined you more than me and it was a gift. I put that wedding ring on your finger to let the world know how much I loved you, not to claim you as mine! I wasn't marking you!"

"Seeley Booth," she rolled her eyes at him, though her tone was light and not accusatory, "You have been marking me as yours from very early on in our partnership."

"What?" he spluttered, "How?"

"My nickname- which I know you would not allow to be used by anyone else," she started ticking off points on her fingers much like he'd done in their earlier argument about Burke, "Constantly referring to me as 'your' girl or 'your' forensic anthropologist. Not to mention, Jasper, Brainy Smurf, and the Christmas tree you brought to the conjugal trailer at the prison."

He was stunned into silence. Not so much because what she was saying wasn't true- but because it was. Everything that she had listed from her nickname to the little gifts that he'd given her over the years might not have been meant to necessarily "mark" her, but they had served to entrench him deeper into her life. It was because she was so special to him, though, not to mention that any time he gave her one of those little gifts her face had lit up just for him and her eyes would always soften, taking away the mask that she put on for the rest of the world.

"Seeley," her voice was soft and he realized that she'd come around the desk to where he was, her fingers laying gently on his shoulder, "I never meant to imply that I did not appreciate your gifts, or that I resent them in any way."

He looked up to find a pair of vulnerable eyes looking intently at him, trying to decipher what his reaction to her statement meant. It was clear that she thought that she had hurt his feelings, so he softened his own gaze and stood up to enfold her in his arms.

"I know," he said simply into her hair, allowing his actions to speak for him.

She pulled her head back to look at him and their lips began gravitating toward one another as if pulled by some magnetic force.

Another chime on the computer sounded just as he could feel her breath entering his waiting lips and the couple broke apart quickly as if someone had caught them making out.

"Looks like the credit check went through," Booth said, all business, "The card is in 'Anthony Burton's' name, but the address matches the last known one we have for Burke, and it looks like the last time it was used was for his last jewelry purchase."

He looked over to find a very reserved Bones, who had moved quickly around to the other side of the desk and was now trying desperately to hide the fact that something was bothering her.

"Earth to Bones," he waved, leaning over the desk, "Did you hear anything I just said?"

"Burton's name, Burke's address," she replied mechanically.

"You got it," he shut down the windows he had opened on the computer and went around the desk to join her.

She jumped as his fingers brushed her arm, moving away as if she had been burnt by his touch.

"What's wrong, Bones?" he asked, allowing her to put space between them, even though he desperately wanted her back in his arms to soothe away whatever was going on in that genius brain of hers.

"Nothing," she lied.

"Temperance," he called her and her head shot up, eyes boring into him immediately, "Tell me."

Her eyes darted to the closed office door and he half expected her to bolt, but instead she stayed stock still, just looking at him.

Finally, she broke eye contact and began speaking rapidly, "I don't know how well this is going to work. You and I- I mean here and at home too. I- I thought I could compartmentalize better. I mean I always do, I'm the one who does," she shook her head, then her imploring eyes were back on him, begging him to understand what she could fully communicate, "Twice just in the scant hours since you've arrived we have engaged in inappropriate activities for persons in the workplace. To be certain, one was not done intentionally, however, the results were the same.

"We agreed," she was pacing now, extremely agitated, "We agreed back when we first began dating that _this_-" she pointed back and forth between the two of them, "Would not happen and moreover _should_ not happen here or at the Hoover. It is not professional decorum and it could at some point jeopardize our effectiveness as a crime-solving unit."

He kept silent, not sure she really wanted him to respond and a little confused as to why she was blowing a simple hug so far out of proportion; even taking into consideration the fact that they'd nearly kissed. He didn't have time to sort things out though because she started stomping over to him, eyes ablaze.

"You," she said, jabbing him in the chest with her finger, "Above all people should get that because _you_," again, her finger rammed him, "were the one who drew that stupid 'line' in the first place so that days like today couldn't happen. Except they did happen and we've obliterated the line," she was flagging now, and had turned from him, to sit on the couch, "And you were right, Booth," she said his name so sadly, "You were right."

She threw her head back against the back of the couch and closed her eyes, the room falling into a bleak silence as they both took in her words.

He waited several minutes until he could see she was breathing normally again, then carefully made his way around, sitting on the other side of the couch from her so that she'd still have her space, but so that he'd be nearby.

"Bones," he called softly, "Look at me," he waited until she did before continuing. "I was wrong about the line. The line was stupid and a way for me to hide how I felt about you because at the time it was just way too confusing," he held up a hand to stop her from commenting, "Look, we danced around each other and our feelings for years, but it didn't do much except keep us from denying the truth.

"What we have- what we share, Bones goes way beyond a professional thing," he smiled tenderly at her, "It always has whether we've acknowledged it or not. Owning up to our feelings makes us stronger, Bones, not weaker. We're partners now in every sense of the word and I love that."

"But we-"

"We what, Temperance?" he cut her off gently, "We hugged and we almost kissed. That's happened several times if I'm not mistaken, right here in this office, and _long_ before we were involved personally. And I can guarantee you that Angela and Hodgins have done worse and not been fired for it!"

"And earlier, on the couch, you-" she started again and again he cut her off gently.

"Reacted the same way any other red-blooded guy would if the woman he loved squeezed his thigh the way you did," he offered her a charm smile and was rewarded with a hint of a smile at the corners of her lips, "Good grief, Bones, do you know how many times you've turned me on over the years just bending over that dumb lab table of yours? Especially if you're in those tight designer jeans and I'm behind you, or if I'm across from you and you have on one of your low-cut shirts?"

"Seeley!" she slapped him lightly on the arm.

"Hey," he held up his arms in surrender, "All I'm saying is that you're a knockout and I'd have to be dead or gay not to react to that, okay? And before you get all crazy on me, you just try and tell me that you weren't turned on to me at some point before we started dating."

He let the challenge go out through his eyes, and saw her eyes rise to meet it.

"I won't argue," she said slowly, "That your features are extremely symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing. That does not mean, however, that I have been 'turned on' by you."

"Uh huh," he could tell she was lying, "Not even when you barged in on me _naked_?" he teased.

She cut her gaze away from him quickly and clammed up, causing a triumphant grin to spread over his face.

"So what is your point?" she sighed finally.

"My point is that our feelings for each other haven't really changed because we're married now, and they won't change even if we were to break up," he smiled, "The only difference now is that we can go home and act on those feelings instead of keeping them back all of the time. And yeah, it might take a little bit of time to figure out what's distracting here at work and what's not, but bottom line is, if you are hurt, I'm going to reach out to comfort you- it's who I've always been."

"Fine," she blew a long breath out, "But we certainly shouldn't be kissing."

"Agreed."

"And I promise not to engage you in conversations on intercourse."

"See, even the way you say _engage_ is just wrong there," he teased.

She glared at him and he smiled innocently.

"And perhaps we should keep my office door open for the most part- and yours for that matter," she added.

"Works for me," he said.

"And you are not allowed to loiter here if you have work to do at the Hoover Building," she said sternly, "We do have work to accomplish here that is not connected with the FBI and your presence can be quite distracting. Now that I think about it, in fact, you spend a great deal of time here that I am not altogether sure is part of your job."

"Official unofficial liaison to the Jeffersonian, remember?" he turned up the charm, "Besides, what would you squints do without me here to spur you on?"

"Accomplish our work," she said firmly, standing up to return to her desk, "And as you have said, the side benefit of our marriage is that we will both return to the same house at the end of the workday and can then act on whatever feelings we have for each other."

"The Hoover's boring," he whined as she opened the door and sat down at her desk, "It's all suits and ties and paperwork," he made a face, "And my office doesn't have a comfy couch like yours."

"Then put in a request to have your office moved over to our building," she suggested.

"Huh?"

"If you dislike the working environment over there than you should request to be moved over here," she pointed out as if it was the most logical conclusion, "That way you would be able to keep abreast of what we are doing _and_ you would have your own space so that you would not be as much of a distraction while you waited."

"No offense, Bones," he said, "But no. That doesn't sound like a good solution."

Sure, he liked coming over to visit the squints and spend time with Bones, but to be permanently surrounded by them did not sound appealing to him at all. The other agents already teased him from time to time about the eggheads rubbing off on him, and he could only imagine what they'd think if he'd actually _move_ over here. Besides, he reminded himself, as nice as it was to visit there were days when the squint squad drove him nuts and he needed to then escape to the Hoover- and the Hoover's in-house firing range- to let off some of the steam.

Nope, he decided, he'd stick to his office and his sports stuff and being around people who didn't talk out of a thesaurus and who got it when he told them about his gut feelings. He looked up to find his wife typing away at something on her computer, trying unsuccessfully to hide her smirk.

"Uh huh," he said, getting to his feet, "You knew I'd hate that idea didn't you?"

"There was a statistically high likelihood given your personality and general demeanor," she said, never taking her eyes off of the screen.

"It'll be better next week when I can get out in the field again," he said, "Right now I'm feeling caged no matter where I am."

"Yes," she nodded, "I confess that I miss the field work as well, though at least we were able to establish a forensic link between our victim and our suspect today."

"Yeah, I probably should head back and fill Charlie and Cullen in on everything," he said reluctantly.

"Alright," she smiled at him, "I'll inform you if Angela or Hodgins discover anything else here and now that you mention it, I should inform Cam as well. She gets quite fussy if she is not kept up to date on all case-related developments."

"She's the boss, Bones," he reminded her, grabbing his keys off of her desk and his coat off of the rack, "I'll see you at home then?"

She nodded, "Unless anything new develops I am planning on leaving at five o'clock."

"Taking your paperwork home, of course," he said knowingly.

"Of course," she smiled back at him, "I presumed you would want us to do that together as always?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way," he grinned, "Tell you what. You leave by five and I'll have dinner ready for you girls when you get home."

"We shall look forward to it," she agreed with a large grin of her own, then she turned back to her computer.

"Love you, Bones," he said softly as he turned to leave.

"And I you," he heard her equally soft response.


	44. Finding the Balance

"Hey, Bren," Angela's voice broke through Temperance's train of thought and she put a finger on the paragraph of the paper she was currently grading, "Where'd Booth go?"

"He left for the Hoover," she squinted at the clock, "Two hours and seventeen minutes ago. His fellow agent, Charlie, as well as Deputy Director Cullen needed to be appraised of our recent findings."

"Doesn't he normally do that over the phone or something?" Angela asked.

"Sometimes."

"Brennan, did you kick the poor man out?" the artist probed.

"No," she shifted in her seat, not appreciating Angela's phraseology.

"Liar," her friend said as if stating a fact, "What happened?"

"I had work that I needed to accomplish," she sighed, "He was- well we were-," she looked Angela in the eye, "How do you and Hodgins manage to maintain separation between your personal and professional lives?"

Angela threw back her head and laughed, "Honey, where have you been that you think Jack and I keep things separate?"

"I know that Cam has threatened you with cold water several times," Temperance nodded, "However, you still seem to have a successful personal relationship _and_ you are productive in your work." She looked long and hard at her friend, wondering if an empathetic person such as Angela could understand how she was feeling, "Does it ever seem as if you have too much exposure to one another?"

"Hmm," Angela seemed to consider the question for a moment, "I'm going to have to go with a 'no' on that one- but it's not like we got to that point right away. I mean, when we first moved in together it felt kind of smothering until we worked out a balance."

"Did that include not being as physically demonstrative in the workplace?" she wondered out loud.

"Well we're not doing in it on Cleo's bed in deep storage anymore," Angela smirked, "Though that's more because of the cameras than anything else," the smirk dropped and her countenance became more serious, "Really, sweetie, it just came down to us figuring out how much was too much and going from there. We didn't sit down and negotiate things out ahead of time. Why, are you feeling smothered?"

"Somewhat," Temperance admitted, "Though more than anything I feel conflicted. Booth and I as the lead investigators, I feel, should be held to a very high standard when it comes to keeping our personal and private lives separate. We have a reputation to uphold as far as our professional careers are concerned and I would not wish for that to suffer simply because we have become involved on a personal level as well."

"Okay," Angela held out her hands, "Reality check here, Dr. Temperance Brennan/Booth- whatever you've decided to call yourself. You and Booth are not just having a fling here! You got married, which takes you way beyond that whole 'just partners' thing that you two have been hiding behind for eons.

"And yeah, it might seem like things were easier back then from where you're sitting now, but they weren't," she held up a hand to stop Temperance's protestations, "Look, it doesn't really matter what things were like, because they aren't like that now. So now, you work on the balance. Let him tease you and flirt with you like he always has. Let him steal kisses from time to time or goose you for heaven's sake!"

"Do I even want to know what that means?" Temperance asked.

"What? Goosing?" Angela grinned, "That's when he squeezes you butt, honey, though I'm not sure if Booth's a butt guy so maybe he wouldn't do that."

"He is," Temperance assured her.

"And I'm sure he'd be thrilled that I now know that," the smirk was back, "Anyway, my point is don't punish him at work for marrying you; have fun with it. Not too much fun, mind you, but fun."

"What if I have work that needs to be accomplished uninterrupted?" she wanted to know.

"Then tell him," the artist shrugged as if it were a simple thing to do, "If you really need some time to yourself, I'm sure he'll get that, but if it's something that you can do with him lounging on the couch doing whatever it is he's been doing there for the past four years, then let him.

"You'll do fine," Angela assured her, "Oh, and before I forget, you and Booth and that brood of kids that you have coming are invited to the mansion for Thanksgiving. It's next Thursday, just so you know, so talk it over with that hunk of yours and get back to me, okay?"

Temperance nodded, mulling over her friend's words long after Angela had said good bye. The alarm that she had set earlier on her computer chimed, reminding her that it was time for her to leave for home. Methodically, she began packing up the work she was taking home with her, making a mental checklist of the things she needed to accomplish later that night.

It took her a bit longer to pack up than she had anticipated, so she was rushing to get to her car so that she could honestly say that she had left at five o'clock. It wasn't until she unloaded her belongings on the passenger's seat that she saw the empty car seat and remembered that she needed to pick up Sadie.

Mortified, she jogged as fast as possible without outright running until she reached the day care center. Sadie was happily playing with some of the toys when she arrived, but dropped them immediately upon catching sight of her mother and ran to her, arms outstretched. With a wide smile, the doctor embraced her daughter, placing her on one hip while she signed Sadie out for the night.

Bundling the little girl into her warm jacket, Temperance shouldered the diaper bag and the two of them went back to the car and sped off toward home. Fortunately traffic was light going toward the townhouse and they made good time. As she pulled into the driveway, Seeley bounded out of the house and made his way to them. He took her bag and Sadie's while she carefully removed the little girl from her car seat and grabbed her purse.

The warmth of the house enveloped her as soon as she crossed the threshold along with the scent of garlic and fresh herbs. Two hands came up from behind her and helped remove her jacket, while a pair of lips dropped a wet, warm kiss on the back of her neck.

"Welcome home," Seeley smiled, hanging her jacket up in the coat closet. He moved over and knelt on the floor, "And welcome home to you too, Miss Sadie. Did you have a fun day?"

Sadie nodded her head vigorously and leapt into his arms. As the three of them entered the living room and sat down on the couch, Sadie began babbling to him, and though neither adult understood a word of what she said, they smiled and nodded as if they did.

"Sounds like somebody had a busy day," Seeley said when the chatter came to a halt, "Are you hungry, now, kiddo?"

"Time to eat," Sadie grinned at him, before turning to Temperance, "Time to eat, Mama."

"I concur," Temperance laughed, impulsively leaning over to plant a kiss on Sadie's cheek, "Let's see what your daddy made us tonight, shall we?"

"I concur," Sadie giggled.

Seeley rolled his eyes and shook his head incredulously, "Not _another _one!"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a well-developed vocabulary, Seeley," she chided him as they stood.

"If you say so, Bones," he gave her a lopsided smile and guided her into the dining room with his hand on her lower back.

She nearly gasped at the sight that greeted her.

Gone was the eternal clutter that had covered half of the table and the film of dust that had covered the entire surface. In its place, was a beautifully polished surface that gleamed in the flickering light of the three tall candles burning in the center of the table. The lights above them were on, but had been dimmed considerably. Corresponding placemats lay neatly at each place, including in front of Sadie's highchair. The place-settings were neatly laid out for the three of them, and each included a napkin that had been carefully folded so that it stood up on top its plate. A bucket of ice surrounded a bottle of sparkling grape juice.

Seeley picked Sadie up gently and buckled her into her seat and before Temperance realized it his hand was again resting on her lower lumbar region and he was escorting her to her own seat and tucking her in.

That task accomplished, he smiled at her and disappeared into the kitchen, returning only seconds later with a basket full of steaming garlic bread and a bowl brimming with salad. Next came a bowl of what her nostrils immediately identified as fettuccini alfredo and a pepper mill. Finally, he returned with an armload of salad dressing, grated cheese, and croutons, which he placed beside the bowl of salad before taking the seat beside her.

Wordlessly, he began filling Sadie's smaller plate with food, complete with a small slice of garlic bread, before setting it on the tray of her highchair. He then turned to her with a charm smile and held out his hand for her plate as well. Still a bit stunned by the effort he had put into the meal she obliged, impressed with how he was filling her plate with the exact portions she would have chosen for herself.

It was not until he set her plate in front of her and poured all three of them a glass of sparkling grape juice that he filled his own plate. He then bowed his head for a brief moment and crossed himself, his eyes twinkling in the dim light as he turned to face her.

"What were you praying about?" she inquired.

"I was thanking Him," he pointed his index finger at the ceiling, "For good food and my two beautiful girls."

She nodded, smiling, and turned to look at Sadie as well. The two adults burst into laughter at the sight of Sadie's face, which was covered in the white sauce, each of her chubby fists clenching a noodle as she shoveled the food into her mouth. Hearing the laughter, she began pumping her arms rapidly and squealing along with them, sending flecks of sauce all over the floor.

They quickly clamped down on their laughter, both moving to clean up the mess that was being made. Seeley was closest to the little girl and managed to wipe her hands clean just before she put them into her downy curls, while Temperance quickly moved around the other side of the table to wipe up the floor.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it for now, Bones," she heard his voice floating above her.

"Why is that?" she lifted her head to ask.

"She's still got a little bit left," he pointed at the remainder of Sadie's meal, "And my guess is some of it'll make it down there. Just come on back up," he patted her vacated seat, at the same time pulling Sadie's chair closer to him, "And we'll clean after all the mess has been made."

"That seems logical," she nodded.

"Always worked the best for me and Parker," Seeley chuckled, "He'd throw so much of his food on the floor, or his tray, or wherever I started to worry that Rebecca would ream me out for not feeding him. Turns out she had the same problem though, so we were even there."

They shared a smile and went back to the meal. Although slightly cool due to her delay in getting to it, the pasta was delicious as was the garlic bread. She was also impressed to see that the salad was composed of a variety of freshly sliced vegetables, though she noted that her husband added generous amounts of cheese, dressing, and croutons to his salad before consuming it. Sadie munched happily away at the lettuce leaves that had been given to her and appeared to be enjoying the cheese as well.

Conversation was light and interrupted often by Sadie's babbling. Every once in a while she said something that they could comprehend, but for the most part her "words" made no sense to either of them. It was, undoubtedly, the most Temperance had ever heard the girl attempt to speak, so she did not bother to correct her. Seeley seemed highly amused by the babble, though at least he did not respond in kind.

When their plates were empty, the couple moved in tandem to clear the table and clean up the mess that had been created in and around Sadie's highchair. Seeley proposed a "divide and conquer" strategy, in which she took Sadie upstairs for a quick bath before bed and he cleaned up the rest of the mess in the dining room. She agreed, and a half an hour later they met back in the living room, both slightly more haggard than they had been when they'd begun.

Sadie- now clean and garbed in her pajamas- snuggled down in between her two parents, sated and sleepy. Seeley covered them all with a blanket and proceeded to read the children's book that he had selected for her. Temperance listened with rapt attention and- after deciding to ignore the fact that an elephant could not conceivably sit on a tree and hatch an egg- she found that she rather enjoyed the author's whimsical poetry.

By the time the story reached its end, Sadie had been lulled to sleep by the cadence and timbre of her father's voice, waking only long enough to cling to his neck as he carried her up the stairs. Temperance laid a soft kiss on Sadie's still-damp curls and Seeley did the same before gently laying her in her crib and whispering good night.

When they returned downstairs, she found to her relief that the kitchen had been cleaned as well as the dining room, including all of the pans that had been used in preparing the meal. She sank into one of the barstools and gratefully accepted the dish of ice cream and fresh cup of coffee that was offered to her, opting to forget for a few more minutes that she had several hours of paperwork ahead of her.

"Thank you for the meal," she said quietly as he sat down across from her, "I certainly didn't expect it to be so- elaborate."

"Hey," he shrugged, "Sometimes I cook for you, sometimes you cook for me, and-"

"Sometimes we eat out," she nodded, recalling his words to her on the beach the morning after they had made love for the first time.

He had outlined his entire vision of marriage for her that day- promising that she would never be demeaned, or be expected to give up her career to run the household. To this man, marriage was the union of two people who chose to accept the others' strengths and weaknesses. It had been the first palatable definition of marriage that she had ever heard, so much so that she could recall the conversation verbatim despite the months that had passed.

"You meant it," she marveled out loud, causing him to raise an eyebrow at her, "All your lofty talk of what marriage truly is. They weren't merely words meant to calm me were they?"

"No."

"I wasn't sure at the time," she confessed.

"I love you," he said simply, though his eyes were rich with emotion.

"And I understand that more fully now," she nodded, then looked down and the melted remnants of her ice cream, "I apologize if I made you feel unwanted this afternoon. It was not my intention, though I was rather conflicted emotionally at the time."

He walked around to her side of the island and captured her hands in his larger ones, "It's okay, Bones, we'll figure out a balance eventually."

"Angela said that as well," she told him, "And I will endeavor not to over react as much in the future."

"You're doing fine," he soothed, kissing her brow.

"I am still not certain I am comfortable with you goosing my posterior in public, however."

He threw back his head and laughed and she knew she'd messed something up, "Did that come from Angela too?" she nodded, "Well, I'm not sure what else I'd goose, Bones, but I'll do my best to be discreet."

"Thank you."

"When we're on the clock," he added, pulling her off of the stool and into his arms, his hands deftly groping her gluteus maximus.

She opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly filled it with his tongue, halting any words and thoroughly distracting her. Several minutes later a need for oxygen drove them to separate, though he did not let her stray and instead of continuing the kiss, he guided her out to the living room and onto the couch.

"Sit," he ordered before leaving her alone in the room.

She did, not exactly sure what his motivations were. He returned quickly with her work satchel slung over his shoulder and two steaming mugs of coffee in his hands. Passing both mugs to her, he took off the satchel and withdrew a book. Settling on the couch beside her, he released the lever that extended the footrest, reclaimed his mug from her, and opened his book. The corners of her mouth twitched when she realized it was a copy of her latest novel.

"Lemme know when you need me to sign off the report for you," he said absently, "And I have one for you to sign too when you're done."

Smiling at his subtlety and grateful once again that he respected and shared her priorities, she took a long sip of the hot beverage before setting it on the ground in front of her and pulling her satchel up beside her. Extending her feet to lay next to his on the footrest, she set to work- determined to finish swiftly so that they could continue what he'd started in the kitchen.


	45. Takin Care of Business

A low buzzing sound woke Booth up the next morning and he suppressed a groan when he discovered that it was still dark out. Slipping out of bed as quietly as he could, he scooped up his vibrating phone and headed downstairs where he could answer it.

"Booth," he flipped the phone open, voice still gravely from sleep.

It was Charlie. Apparently, Angela had program her computer to text Charlie as soon as the mass recognition program got any readings that matched Burke's description. The graveyard shift keeping watch over the warehouse had confirmed the sighting. Burke was currently inside the building and Charlie was calling Booth, wanting to know what the next move was.

Booth ran a hand through his hair, trying to ignore the microwave clock's declaration that it was four in the morning. Pouring himself a glass of milk and gulping it down, he listened closely as Charlie laid everything out for him. It was one of the scenarios the two men had gone over in his office yesterday morning, though neither of them expected it to happen so soon- or so early in the morning.

"How sure are we that he's in there?" Booth asked.

"As sure as we can be," Charlie answered, "So do we proceed as planned?"

Booth sighed heavily. He'd been hoping that Burke would hold off just a few days longer so that he'd be cleared for field duty and could take the SOB in himself. It was killing him to be the guy behind the desk making decisions instead of the guy in the field getting the job done.

"Yeah," he answered reluctantly, pulling on the spare jeans and t-shirt he kept in an overnight bag in the closet, "We might not get another shot at this guy if we don't. Tell Tac One and Tac Two to standby for their orders. I'm leaving for the Hoover now and will co-ordinate with you once I get there. If he moves before then- pounce, otherwise sit tight until I'm hooked into the command post."

He heard Charlie relaying his orders over the radio to the guys on the ground as he hastily scrawled a note to Bones, letting her know where he was and what was going on. He was fairly sure he was going to have an angry forensic anthropologist on his case anyway, but at least this way there wouldn't be panic mixed with anger. For a brief second he contemplated waking her, but there was nothing she could do to help, not to mention there was a little girl sleeping in the other room who didn't need to be disturbed, so he signed the note and put it by the percolator where she'd be sure to see it.

On the other end of the phone, Charlie finished giving Booth's orders and the two men hung up, with the understanding that the younger man would call him if Burke popped up before Booth got to the Hoover. Donning his holster and personal sidearm, he checked to make sure his weapon was secure before slipping on his leather jacket and heading out the door. His standard-issue had been taken away until he cleared for field duty and even though he had no intentions of heading out to the warehouse, he felt practically naked without his gun on his hip.

The noise of the engine starting felt deafening in the pre-dawn stillness and he was surprised not to see Bones come running out of the house after him. As he pulled out of the driveway, heading for the Hoover, he felt a slight tug at his lips at the thought of his wife.

Last night he had passed out about an hour into her paperwork, only to awake several hours later to find her typing away at her laptop. He knew immediately that she was working on her novel, because every so often she would let out a soft grunt in frustration, followed by the rapid tapping of the backspace key. Her brow was furrowed in concentration and every once in a while she would stare hard at the screen, her eyes scanning whatever paragraph she had just completed, while the end of her tongue peeked out. It was one of her little quirks that amused him to no small end.

He'd let her go at it until he noticed it was eleven, then he had cleared his throat to let her know he was awake and that it was time to go to bed. She'd put up a mild protest, but he could tell that the story wasn't flowing as smoothly as it normally did and she'd turned it off without much fuss. On the way upstairs he had teased her about being able to provide her with inspiration for one of Kathy and Andy's famous bedroom scenes and to his surprise she had taken him up on the offer. Two hours later, she'd kissed him on lips, told him that she would consider thanking him in her next book for his "inspiration" or some such nonsense, and promptly turned over and fell asleep.

Which is why, he told himself for the tenth time since leaving the house, she was better off at home in bed right now so that at least one of them was getting sleep. As he reached the Hoover and passed through security, he made sure that his phone was on and charged so that _when_ she called him, he'd get it.

He made his way through the labyrinth of corridors that led to the communications room that had been set up for this case. It was too early for the donuts to be out so he had to grab something from the vending machine and content himself with the sludge from the nightshift's coffee pot. Still, for going on three hours sleep it was something, and at this point something was all he needed.

In a soundproof room at the end of a long hallway, he entered and nodded to the two communications guys on-duty, sinking into the empty office chair beside them. In front of him were enough computers to power a small, third-world country. Some gave him multiple views of the warehouse and its surroundings, others gave him the thermal imaging readings, and still others monitored all communications coming both from the warehouse and the tactical teams.

The com guys wasted no time hooking him up with a headset and establishing a connection between Booth, Charlie, and the leaders of Tac teams One and Two. No sign of Burke- or anyone else for that matter- had been seen entering or exiting since Booth had left home, which was a good start. The four men quickly went over the plan before Booth gave the order to execute.

He held his breath. Tac One Lead had confirmed that the roof was guarded with four armed men- one on each corner and according to their thermal readings, there were thirty-seven people inside the warehouse. There, unfortunately, was no way to know who in the building was armed and with what. Plus, Booth had drilled into Charlie over and over again the other day, the women were there somewhere too.

The sound of gunfire brought his senses to heightened alert as the guards caught sight of something in the dark. Tac One Lead cautioned that the guards had night-vision and Tac Two reported four more armed men coming out of the warehouse. As he surveyed the scene from the insulated safety of the com room, Booth kept a close eye on the overhead of the warehouse's west exit. Once again, thankful for the water tower three miles away that was already equipped with cameras, allowing him a bird's eye view of what was going on. Sure enough, the thermal readings shifted, showing a large group of people heading for that exit. He ordered Tac Two to fan out to that side, warning them that it was most likely an evacuation situation. The last thing he needed was for one of the girls to get caught in the crossfire.

Meanwhile, Tac One had neutralized two of the rooftop guards and had managed to capture the armed guards on the ground alive. Tac One Lead asked for permission to enter the building and Booth gave the go-ahead as one of the com guys beside him kept the team appraised on the thermal readings they were getting from that part of the building. Tac One's objective was to secure the part of the warehouse they suspected of housing the computers.

Tac Two, on the other hand, was in charge of securing all persons coming in and out of the building. A small firefight was going on as six armed men attempted to spirit the women away. Squinting at the monitor, Booth realized that there was a van hidden just inside the tree-line beyond the west exit. Without hesitation, he radioed Tac Two Lead and let him know what was going on. Booth watched as three of the men broke off and headed toward the woods.

Unfortunately, this didn't go unnoticed by the guards, either, and the night air was filled with the roaring of an engine as the van attempted a getaway. Radio chatter flew back and forth between the Hoover and the warehouse until someone gave a triumphant cry and the van sputtered to a halt. The men inside the van attempted to flee on foot, but were easily nabbed and taken to the temporary holding pen.

Meanwhile, now that their ride was gone, the guards who were left quickly surrendered, allowing Tac Two to move in for the arrest. Free of their guards, some of the women fled, while others remained still as if waiting to see what happened next. It didn't take long for everyone to be rounded up and taken to the rendezvous point.

Booth switched back to the Tac One channel to find that they were meeting with some resistance inside, but were slowly but surely making their way to the heart of the operation. Fortunately for them, the company that had built the warehouse still had blueprints on file. A wire schematic had been built on the computer and Booth and the two techs were able to keep a close eye on the activity level inside the building.

According to their readings, only five of the original thirty-seven were still inside. Booth was willing to lay odds that these five were the ones with a vested interest in what was hidden inside the warehouse, especially given the resistance that they were putting up. His ears picked up the sound of an automatic weapon being fired at his guys and he decided it was time to end it, giving the order for the tear gas grenades to be thrown.

Five minutes later, it was over.

All thirty-seven occupants were accounted for, along with the four roof-top guards and Tac One had located and secured the main computer hub. More importantly, Charlie confirmed that the man they believed to be Arthur Burke was in custody and under heavy guard. Once the scene was secured, Booth gave the order for the transport vans to move in and begin the loading process. Since it still wasn't clear if some of the women were there of their own volition or not, all of them would be taken into custody and held for questioning.

Something vibrated against Booth's hip and he jumped slightly before realizing it was his cell going off. Suppressing a groan, he excused himself from the room as he flipped the phone open.

"Booth," he answered, knowing full well who was on the other end.

"Where are you?" Bones demanded, "And why didn't you wake me up?"

"The Hoover," he replied, keeping his tone even.

"I surmised that much from your note," she said shortly, "And you did not answer me as to why I wasn't woken up. However," she let out a deep breath, "I was calling to determine your location in the building as I am in your office and you- obviously- are not."

"Look, I'll explain everything as soon as I can," he said in an attempt to calm her down, "Just stay there and I'll be up in a few minutes, okay?"

"Fine," she said, clearly not pleased, but at least she was willing to drop it for now.

They said goodbye and hung up. He re-entered the room to find the operation was cleaning up as nicely as could be expected. Charlie assured him that the situation was well under control and he and both of the tac team leaders would join Booth back at the Hoover for a briefing at ten o'clock. Thanking the two communications men for their hard work, Booth chucked his now-cold sludge and headed up to face Bones.

The break-room clock told him it was almost eight and he was more than happy to see that the morning donuts had arrived and fresh pots of coffee were waiting. He popped several donut holes in his mouth and chugged a quick cup of coffee down before he felt like he was ready to face whatever he had coming. He grabbed a mug of coffee for each of them as a peace offering, also figuring that she would at least have to wait until he put the cups down to attack. She'd sounded mad enough to spit nails on the phone.

As he approached his office, she was there, arms crossed, fire blazing in her eyes, and watching for him. He entered the room and placed the cups on the desk, careful not to knock over his bobble-head in the process, then slowly turned around to face her.

Instead of the tongue-lashing he expected, though, she walked over to him, looking him up and down like he was a piece of meat, and settled down in the chair just beside his left leg. Her body-language was still screaming "Closed!" and her eyes told him this was not an act of forgiveness, but at least she hadn't reamed him out- yet.

He handed her a cup and took up residence in the seat beside her, figuring that behind his desk was too far away. A stony silence fell on the room as each of them sipped at the bad coffee.

"So," he started, not knowing where to start, but knowing that they needed to clear the air before Charlie showed up for the briefing.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, the lack of sleep finally catching up to him despite the coffee, "Look, Bones, I'd say that I'm sorry I didn't wake you up, but I'm not, so I'm not sure what you want out of me."

"An explanation would be a good start," she shifted in her chair, "Beginning with why you felt it necessary to leave me out of this crucial part of the investigation."

_Ah, so that's the angle she's coming from,_ he thought, glad for once that she was a woman who pulled no punches.

"Okay, but you have to listen all the way through with no interruptions," he waited for her to agree before continuing, "First, the call came in at four and we'd only gotten to bed at one," he could tell that she wanted to say something, but she was restraining herself so far, "Second, this was my part of the investigation and there was really nothing you could have done to help, or I would've considered having you with me," her face was still a mask, but the fire in her eyes was lessening, "Finally, there's Sadie to consider. The daycare doesn't open here until six and there was no way we could've had her in the communications room with us even if I had wanted her there. And believe me, Temperance, those were not images that we want her exposed to at a young age."

"Even if you did not want me to come with you," she sounded a little hurt by that, he noticed, "You still could've woken me, or simply called at a more appropriate hour and let me know what was going on."

"No," he shook his head gently, "I couldn't have. The operation had just ended when you called, which is why I could pick up, but before that too many lives were at stake for my focus to stray."

"What do you mean, Seeley?" she asked, "What exactly happened this morning and what was your role in it all?"

He stifled a sigh, knowing that she'd never let up until she had details.

"Look, it was long and involved and had a lot to do with those plans you typed up for me the other day," he took a long drag of coffee, "I was the Special Agent in Charge; the one calling the shots and keeping an eye on everything as it went down. There were a few really intense moments, but we rounded up the bad guys so that's all that really counts. Charlie and the tac team leaders will be back here in a couple of hours for a briefing with me and Cullen, so you're more than welcome to sit in on that if you want."

She nodded mutely and seemed to find her coffee interesting all of a sudden. He studied her face as she avoided his eyes, his tired mind trying to recall everything that she'd said so he could figure out what the problem was.

"I suppose," she said after a long moment, "That this is similar to my occasional need for a distraction-free environment."

"Yeah," he agreed, offering a smile, "I mean, it's not like you let me hover over you on the platform when you do your super-detailed inspections."

She shook her head and gave him a small, understanding smile, "No, I do not."

"We okay, then?" he wanted to make sure.

She nodded.

"Hey, Bones," he stood up abruptly, hauling her to her feet too, "Is Sadie downstairs?"

"Yes," she answered warily.

"Good," he grinned, "'Cause all I had for breakfast was this crappy coffee and some stale donuts and I'm betting you didn't eat much better."

"But what about your briefing?" she asked, moving quickly to match his long strides toward the elevator.

"We've got about two hours left, so I think we've got time to grab Sadie and hit the diner."

Minutes later they were checking Sadie out. She giggled upon sight of him and ran into his arms as soon as she was freed. He scooped her up and held her tightly to his chest, enjoying the softness of her skin against his morning stubble. Burying his face in her curls he inhaled deeply, letting her innocence infuse him and take away the sting of the morning's events.

"Time to eat, Dada?" she asked.

"Yes, sweetheart," he kissed her cheek, and took Bones' hand in his free one, "Time to eat."


	46. Two Temperances

Temperance Joy Booth did not consider herself to be one of those needy housewives she had always distained. She did not expect Seeley to cater to her every whim, nor did she need to know his whereabouts at any given time during the day. They were adults, not to mention the fact that she trusted him implicitly.

Which was why she had not in the least bit concerned when she had awakened to find that she was alone in their bed; nor did it concern her that- given the pervading silence throughout the house- that the downstairs level appeared to be unoccupied. Seeley had been extremely excited when the doctor had pronounced him healed enough to exercise and the most likely scenario to her was that he had going out on a morning run.

It was not until after she had finished her own morning routine and was feeding Sadie breakfast that she happened upon the note that he had left for her.

_B-_

_Burke's at the warehouse. I'm at the Hoover. _

_Love you._

_-B_

Her first thought was there was not time given, leading her to wonder how long he had been gone. Her second thought- the one that made her ire begin to rise- was that he had deliberately left her behind for what appeared to be their biggest break in the case yet. And while Mrs. Booth may not have minded, Dr. Brennan was furious!

She had not acceded to marrying him only to be left at home to tend to Sadie, nor did she particularly like being- as Cam once put it "out of the loop" when it came to their cases. Not to mention the fact that he should've known better after so many years.

Without further hesitation, she had rushed Sadie through the rest of her breakfast, collected their belongings, sped off to confront her partner, and called the lab to let them know she would be at the Hoover Building until further notice. Calling the lab had only served to make her more displeased, however, as Angela and Cam seemed to already be aware of the situation. That displeasure only increased further after she had hurriedly dropped Sadie off at day care and had proceeded to Booth's office- only to find it empty with no hint that he had been there this morning.

Of course she had found him and he had explained the situation to her. It still had not assuaged her one hundred percent, but she was willing to concede that she could not have helped him in any way- though she still wished he would've woken her and allowed her to come to that conclusion on her own.

Her anger had fully dissipated, however, on watching him cling tightly to Sadie when they reached the day care. The last time she had seen him looking so relieved was just after he had discovered that Howard Epps had talked to Parker. She still did not have a clear picture of what had taken place that morning, but she now understood that whatever it was it had not been easy. This theory was only further supported when Booth, still holding Sadie close, had possessively put his arm around Temperance's waist and held her close as they exited the building. Without a word, she'd handed him her keys and allowed him to drive them to the diner in silence.

And thus she found herself, sitting at their regular booth, watching her husband and daughter consume food as if it had been days, not hours since their last meal, and wondering if he would tell her what had transpired to make him so upset any time soon.

"We need a plan," she said finally.

"Huh?" Seeley looked up at her, syrup dripping from the corner of his mouth as he swallowed the last of his French toast.

"A plan," she reiterated, "Surely as an ex-military man you can see the value of having one set in advance."

"Yes," he nodded slowly, "Plans are great, but I left my secret decoder ring at home this morning, so I don't have a _clue_ what kind of plan you're talking about."

"One that would cover scenarios such as this morning's events," she said, not understanding why he was not following her train of thought, "And other work-related scenarios as well. This may have been the first time that an early-morning call required one or both of us to leave, but I doubt it will be the last."

"What'd you have in mind?" he asked, settling back in the seat and sipping at his coffee.

"Well," she began, "It would be wise of us to discuss our preferences when it comes to being informed in scenarios similar to what occurred this morning. Of course, you now know that I prefer to be awakened- regardless of how many hours of sleep I've had- right away so that I can process the situation and evaluate if my presence is necessary. Should the situation be reversed, it would be good for me to know in advance what your preferences are so that I can act accordingly.

"Too, if it is determined that both of us are required we would need an entirely different plan specifying into whose care we would place Sadie while we are away. I know that day care service only begins at the Jeffersonian at six in the morning and I am not certain how early the FBI's program opens. A private nanny is also another option for us to consider."

"Nope," Seeley's tone was decisive, "That might suit for Hodgins or someone like that but no way we're getting a nanny," he took Sadie out of the high chair and placed her onto the bench beside him, "But I will check into the Hoover's hours when we get back."

"Does this aversion to nannies have anything to do with your distain for the wealthy?" she asked, curious.

He shrugged, "Maybe, but really I just don't like the idea of nannies in general. I mean," he paused to ruffle his fingers through Sadie's hair, "If we can't be there for her, I'd rather have her be with other kids her age than be alone with an adult"

"Even if she could perhaps prosper from the one-on-one interaction?"

"I think she should grow up in the real world, Bones," he shook his head, "Not stuck at home with a nanny all the time."

"Certainly we could have one who would schedule outings and opportunities for her to interact with others in her peer group," she pointed out, then shook her head, "The focus of our conversation has shifted, however, and I still do not have your answer to my original question: Should I receive a call from the Jeffersonian requiring my presence for reasons outside of your FBI jurisdiction, should I wake you, or simply leave you a note as to my whereabouts?"

"Wake me up," he smiled easily, "Then I can kiss you goodbye."

"Considering how strong your libido is first thing in the morning," she said wryly, "I doubt that you would be content with a mere kiss; however, I will respect you wishes and will wake you accordingly."

"Bones," he was grinning now, "Have you ever been called out to the lab at four in the morning for something that didn't require FBI involvement?"

"No," she shook her head, "Why, do you regularly get calls that do not require the Jeffersonian's services?"

"More often than you'd think," he told her, "For the most part they toss me the stuff where we need you, but sometimes I have to cover for other agents, or I get put on special investigative cases. Not saying it happens all the time, but it does happen."

"Good to know," she nodded, "However, that leads us back to the conundrum of what to do with Sadie when both of us are required which, as you well know, happens quite often."

"We'll start by checking out the Hoover," he said, "Which we can do right now because _we_ have a briefing to get to."

With practiced ease, he stood up, and took Sadie into his arms, then turned to offer Temperance his hand as well. She laid enough to cover their meal and the tip and accepted his hand as she stood to join him. He did not relinquish his hold on her and they walked hand-in-hand to the car.

Twenty minutes later, her understanding of the morning's events became much clearer as those involved gave their reports. Burke and his compatriots may indeed have been captured, but it had come at a cost. Three of the tactical team members had suffered gunshot wounds that required hospitalization, and one member had been killed when a stray bullet had severed his femoral artery. In contrast, five of Burke's men had been killed, and two others wounded in their attempt to guard the warehouse.

At one point, she felt Seeley stiffen beside her, his face contorting as he sought to contain his grief, as well as the anger she knew he must be feeling. Burke's operation had been more heavily armed than originally anticipated and while everything had been done to keep the men safe, it had not been enough and Seeley was taking it personally. Even Cullen's commendation for Seeley's decision-making and quick thinking abilities displayed in the command post had done little to soothe him.

Three hours after it had started, the briefing was over. No words were spoken as the couple left, nor did she question him as he moved purposefully, not toward his office, but toward the on-site firing range. He spoke succinctly to the man in charge, who nodded and handed them each a pair of hearing protection headgear.

Silently, she observed as he pulled his personal weapon from its holster and began emptying round after round into the paper targets provided, never failing to hit what he aimed for. It was an odd method of catharsis from her point of view, though she suspected that he felt the same way about her need to completely submerge herself in her work. Plus, she reminded herself when the violent rage played across his face, better a paper target than a living being- or an annoying ice cream truck.

As time passed, so did his anger, until finally he holstered the weapon and turned to face her. She had not moved from his side the entire time, in part to show her support and also to observe him closely and was startled when he suddenly was facing her, his arm reaching out to trap her against the shooting cage, his lips crashing down on hers.

There was nothing chaste about this kiss, nor did it lack passion by any stretch of the imagination. Raw emotions were conveyed as she was pressed back against the cage's wall, but before she had time to process anything, it was over. He pulled back, mopping his brow with the bottom portion of his t-shirt, and they left as quietly as they had arrived, returning to his office.

Papers had accumulated on his desk in his absence, but he brushed them aside as he sat down heavily in his chair, his chest still heaving from exertion. She handed him a bottle of water from the break room and he finished it in under a minute.

"Go home," Cullen's voice scythed through the silence as he materialized at the office door.

"But, Burke-" Seeley began to protest.

"Can cool his heels in the holding pen overnight," Cullen cut him off, "And the girls have been put up in a local safe house under guard for now so they can wait too."

"I need to inform the families-"

"No," Cullen shook his head, "You don't. I'm the Director."

"I was their CO," Seeley was on his feet now, stabbing a finger at his own chest, "I ordered them-"

"To do their duty, Agent Booth, and there was nothing you could have done to prevent what happened," Cullen's tone was even, but it was clear he was the one in charge, "Notifications fall under _my_ purview, not yours. Go home, hug your little girl, get some sleep, and then come back tomorrow fresh and ready to go at this thing full force."

The two men stood glaring at each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither one willing to back down.

"Look, Booth," Cullen broke the stare-down, "I could easily have you pulled off the case since that man may very well have killed Sadie's mother, but if I'm gonna let you see this thing through to the end I need you to put some emotional distance between yourself and what went down today. You're no use to me if you're not in top form, understand?"

"Yes, Sir," Seeley answered crisply.

"Good," Cullen nodded, "Charlie's going to shadow you on this one through interrogation in case one of these pricks gets the bright idea to accuse you of being impartial. It's a strictly CYA assignment, though, so get 'em with everything you've got."

"I fully intend to, Sir," came the steely reply.

The two men shared another look and with one final, curt nod, Cullen took his leave.

"Seeley," she asked as they headed into the FBI parking garage with Sadie in tow, "What's a CYA assignment? Is that some kind of FBI, Black Ops thing?"

"Not quite, Bones," for the first time since the diner he broke into a genuine smile and laughed, "Not quite."


	47. Family

**I know, I know, I've been a bit slow with the updates lately. In my defense, I'm expecting in just a little under 2 months and he doesn't seem to get that Mommy needs sleep to fuel my muse. :)**

**Please lemme know what you think.**

**Gum**

* * *

It was, Booth decided, a good thing that they had taken two cars this morning because as much as he had calmed down at the firing range- and again when Bones had asked about the CYA assignment- he still didn't trust himself not to blow a gasket. Also, his body was still trying to convince him that hauling Bones into the back of the SUV for a quickie was the way to bleed off the rest of his stress. Kissing her at the range was something he'd been fantasizing about for four long years and the only reason he'd pulled back when he did was because otherwise he would've taken her right then and there.

Yup, he thought as the cool November wind blew through his open window, driving separately was a good thing- for now.

He was speeding the entire way, so it was no small surprise that he got home first. Bones, in fact, was nowhere to be seen, so he opted to head inside rather than wait and risk invoking her wrath. As far as she'd come she still didn't have much of a tolerance for him waiting for her unnecessarily and he already felt like he was treading on eggshells after this morning. So instead of waiting he went into the house, laid his gun to rest beside hers in the coat closet safe, and headed upstairs for a shower.

Forty minutes and one empty hot-water tank later he bounded down the stairs in his comfy sweats and a t-shirt that boasted: FBI=Female Body Inspector.

"Mmm," he inhaled deeply, entering the kitchen and planting a kiss on Bones' cheek, "Smells good!"

She swatted his finger away when he tried to dip it in the fresh, steaming bowl of mashed potatoes that she'd just finished mixing. He tried giving her his best puppy-dog eyes, but she shook her head, arching one of her long eyebrows as she read his shirt. He shrugged, snagging a carrot stick instead before going in search of Sadie.

Apparently, Bones was taking no chances with the toddler as he found Sadie securely strapped into her highchair, being kept occupied by a handful of Cheerios.

"Up, Dada! Up!" she squealed on his entrance.

Removing her tray, he unbuckled her and obliged, swooping her up into his arms and dangling her high above his head. She grinned, her giggles raining down on him and washing away the last bits of stress that the water had missed. He took her out into the living room and tickled her, her laughter bouncing off of the walls as she squirmed in his arms. He set her down gently and grinned as she darted across the room, flinging herself on the couch, and then darted back into his arms. Back and forth she ran between him and the couch, seeming to enjoy running into both of them at full speed.

He laughed along with her. It was good to have little kid laughter filling the place again. Parker was growing up fast, not to mention Booth hadn't gotten the chance to be a part of his everyday life so their fun had always been dampened by the fact that their time was limited. It felt good to have Sadie to come home to at the end of such an awful day, though he supposed wryly that he might start thinking differently once she turned into a teenager.

Right now, though, he was enjoying himself and it thrilled him to no small end that Bones was too. For as much as she worried about not being a good mother, she'd been doing a great job and of late seemed to really be coming into her own.

"Dinner is ready," the object of his thoughts called out.

Sadie, who had stopped running back and forth and was studiously hunched over her Dr. Suess book, looked up at the sound of her mom's voice and made a bee-line for the table.

"Time to eat!" she announced to no one in particular while bouncing up and down in front of her highchair.

"Of all the sayings you could have passed down to her…" Bones rolled her eyes as they sat down and started eating, though he could tell she wasn't really upset with him.

"Hey," he grinned, "At least she's speaking in full sentences!"

Sadie chose that moment to babble a string of incoherent words.

"Well," he amended, "Sorta."

The two adults shared a smile.

"I inquired at the Hoover day care as to the hours that they keep," Bones said between bites, "While they operate during standard FBI working hours, they also have a special night crew for children whose parents are both employed by the FBI."

"Good," Booth smiled through a huge mouthful of mashed potatoes before noticing that Bones was grimacing, "Not good?"

"I'm not certain that we would qualify under that heading as I am not technically an FBI employee," she explained.

"Bones, we'd never solve cases if it weren't for you," he tried to assure her, "I'm pretty sure they're not going to turn us down."

"We can't assume that," she shook her head, "For one thing, it's presumptuous and for another one of the primary rationalizations that we gave in defense of our personal relationship was that I am independently contracted out to the FBI. We can't simply change that position now because it suits our purposes."

"Cullen'll allow it," he waved her worries off.

"Seeley," she was getting mad at him now, "I do not want, nor do I expect preferential treatment- especially when we can afford to hire a personal nanny!"

It was his turn to grimace. This wasn't something he wanted to hash out over dinner and it was definitely not something that he felt like tackling after the day he'd already had, but it looked like he was just going to have to suck it up and deal. Apparently Tuesdays weren't being any kinder to him than Mondays.

"Bones," he started as they began clearing the dishes off of the table, "I was completely serious when I said that I don't want a nanny for her."

"Does it have something to do with your religion?" she asked, rinsing off the plates and loading them into the dishwasher.

"What? No! Why would you think that?"

She shrugged, "I've found the most of our differing points of view stem from your religious beliefs and my lack thereof."

"Well, it didn't this time," he tried not to let his irritation bleed through, but based on her pursed lips he knew he'd failed, "Look, I just don't think it's a good idea, okay?"

"Why not?" she pressed, "Hiring a nanny would give us the flexibility and freedom to perform our jobs at peak efficiency. Of course we will have to be very selective in our choosing, but I'm sure there are several good referral agencies that we could work through. And of course we would need to look for a house with suitable living quarters for him or her as well."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he took her by her shoulders and stopped her scurrying around, "Who said anything about a _live-in_ nanny?"

"Certainly you're not suggesting that we hire a person and expect them to remain on-call for us without providing living accommodations for them!"

"No," he dragged the word out, shaking his head firmly, "I'm suggesting that we drop the nanny idea altogether and just use the Hoover's facilities. What's so wrong about that?"

"I just feel it would be better for her if she could have someone to care for her on a one-on-one basis," she sighed, "Daycare facilities are laden with germs, not to mention she would not get the language development therapy she needs."

"Therapy?" this was getting ridiculous, "She just needs people to talk to her and get her to talk back to them- that's no biggie. And if you were so concerned about the germs why let her go since we've gotten back?"

"It's not as if we had another option," she pointed out sternly, lifting Sadie from her highchair and setting her on the floor, "However, now that we realize that situations can and will arise that require both of us to leave the house, it seems prudent to begin devising a more permanent plan."

"We don't know she won't be accepted into the Hoover night program."

"We don't know that she will," she countered, "And I still do not understand why you are so diametrically opposed to a nanny."

Deciding that he needed to step back and cool down before he exploded on her, he walked over to the island and began sifting through the day's mail. She huffed and followed Sadie into the living room and he let her go. One of the envelopes caught his eye and he opened it. He smiled wryly at the contents and decided to go after Bones after all.

When he went into the living room, the sight that greeted him nearly melted his heart. His girls were cuddled up on the couch together, Bones' sing-song cadence soothing the little girl as they read about Horton hatching the egg. Gently, and relaying with his eyes that he wasn't going to interfere, he sat down beside them, enjoying his squinty wife reading such a whimsical story. He half expected her to correct all of the inconsistencies so that Sadie didn't grow up believing that elephants could hatch eggs, but she never did and when she was done, she closed the book without further commentary.

Sadie, for her part, was completely sacked out on Bones' lap. Bones shot him a pleading look, and he laid the envelope on the couch and relieved her of her burden. Sadie instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom. Carefully, he changed her diaper and her clothes, giving her a light kiss before handing her over to Bones. His heart skipped a beat as she reverently took Sadie from him, gave her a kiss, and told her that she loved her before setting her in the crib.

Quietly, the pair tiptoed out of the room and back downstairs. Booth picked up the book, paging though it for a minute before looking up to face her.

"That," he said, pointing to the picture of Horton on the cover, "Is me."

"I don't understand," she replied, though the fight was gone from her voice.

"'I meant what I said and I said what I meant,'" he read from the book, then picked up the envelope and handed it to her.

Warily, she took it from him and read the contents.

"Sadie's adoption papers and Social Security card," she said out loud.

"That," he said, tapping the papers in her hand lightly, "Is every bit the same to me as the vows we said on our wedding day. It means that _we_- you and I, Temperance- have accepted the responsibility of parenting that little girl from now on," he took her chin in his hand and waited until their eyes met, "Hiring a nanny might be more convenient, but it'd be abdicating our responsibility as parents- especially if the nanny lived with us.

"I'm not the biggest fan of daycare," he admitted, "But at least we won't be tempted to let them take over raising her. Not to mention, she gets to spend lunch with us if we want," he wondered if any of that made sense to her and decided it was time to sit back and listen to her side.

"I suppose this is one of the more complicated aspects of parenthood, isn't it?" she sighed, leaning back against the couch, "We each want we feel is best for her, though in some ways I am more apt to defer to you since you are the one with previous parental experience."

"How about we do this," he suggested, "We'll start at the Hoover and see what they have to say, then if they have a problem we'll look into the nanny option?"

"That seems a suitable compromise," she nodded, "Oh! Speaking of choices to be made, Angela and Hodgins have invited us to the estate for Thanksgiving dinner. I received an e-mail from the Milton Hershey School, and we will be able to pick Maddie and Joey up as early as Wednesday morning and their classes do not resume until the following Tuesday. We will need to decide relatively soon how to proceed."

"What are you thinking would be best, Bones?" he asked.

"Well," her brow furrowed and he could see the wheels turning, "First of all, one of us will need to take off of work and retrieve them. As far as the dinner invitation is concerned I am inclined to accept as we do have rather limited seating capacity here. The other thing to be considered is what Parker's schedule will be with us. I know that he will be here this weekend as per your normal custody schedule, but I don't believe we ever discussed what the holiday arrangements are."

"That," Booth snorted, pulling her closer to him, "Is because there usually aren't any arrangements, really. I mean, yeah, I get him every other weekend but only if something else doesn't come up and holidays are kinda based off whatever Becca has going at the time. We'll figure something out this weekend, though, so you can let Angela know how many of us to expect."

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" she looked up at him earnestly.

"Well, you _are_ my wife, so that gives you automatic clearance to all things Booth," he smiled teasingly.

"Still, I wouldn't wish to pry."

"Feel free."

She paused for a moment before asking, "Why is it that you have never fought for some sort of legal custody arrangement with Rebecca? I understand that you have some things in place, however, at times she seems to unfairly revoke those things and certainly in today's society a judge would grant you equal custody- or at least help you to negotiate a visitation schedule that is not so mercurial in nature."

Booth looked down at her, then focused on a spot on the ceiling, and sighed. That was an issue he'd wrestled with since the day Parker was born. They hadn't been married and at the time he just took her word that she got to call the shots. She'd never hesitated to let him know how her law studies were going well and at the time he hadn't wanted to end up with nothing, so he'd settled for whatever he got.

"I apologize," her voice cut through his thoughts, obviously misinterpreting his silence, "You don't have to answer me if you don't feel comfortable, Seeley."

She laid a gentle hand on his arm and his heart swelled with love for her.

"It's not that," he assured her, their eyes locking together as he tried to explain things, "For the longest time I was afraid to do anything that would upset what little time with him that I got," he started, "She was an up and coming law student who then became a fierce person in the courtroom and I was just a newbie agent trying to work my way up the food chain. By the time I made Special Agent, I just didn't want to jinx anything by pushing things too much, plus my job doesn't always make me the greatest candidate for taking care of a kid. There've been a few times even on the weekends I do get him that I've had to take him back early or not get him at all because of our cases.

"Besides," he shook his head, "I don't want any fights to erupt that would make Parker see either me or his mom in a bad light. And like I said, we've got things pretty much in a groove now, so no need to upset the balance."

Silence fell between them and she rested her head on his shoulder, offering him her wordless support. He took it. Years of riding that roller coaster of emotions had not been fun, but knowing that his Bones, his _wife_, thought that he deserved more time with his son meant the world to him. She pulled him closer, letting him lean on her as she took him into her arms.

"You, Seeley Booth," she said softly, "Are a good man and a good father. Sadie and Parker are very fortunate to have you in their lives, as are Joey and Maddie- no matter how little or how much time you spend with them."

She kissed him again, then popped up off of the couch abruptly. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with two glasses of the leftover sparkling grape juice from the night before.

"What's the occasion?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Well," one of those rare blushes bloomed on her cheeks, "We're officially parents now, which is something brand new to me. I could get the real wine out if you would like?"

"No," he smiled, taking the glass from her, "This is good."

He tipped his glass to softly chime with hers.

"To parenthood," he offered.

"To family," she countered, "The ones we're born into and the ones we choose."


	48. Lilly

It hadn't been long after her impromptu toast that they had gone upstairs and collapsed into bed. The day had been tiring and draining on many levels and she had fallen asleep instantly, cocooned in his warm embrace.

The next thing she knew, she was being gently shaken.

"Wakey, wakey, Bones," his voice called from seemingly far away, "Time to stick it to the bad guys."

She groaned, not ready to give up the warmth of the bed and rolled over, only to find her adjustment halted by something massive. Peeking an eye open she was met with the sight of bare flesh stretched tautly across toned, pectoral muscles- apparently Booth wasn't as far away as he sounded, which made sense as he was most likely the one who had been shaking her.

"Like what you see?" he taunted from above her, "'Cause technically today is hump day, you know?"

"I have no clue what that means," she yawned.

"Wednesday, Bones," he chuckled softly, shaking his head and bringing his hand down to gently stroke her frazzled hair, "Middle of the week. It's called hump day."

"Hmm," she smirked up at him as her body began to wake whether she wanted to or not, "That was not the context in which you used that phrase…"

She trailed off, flipping her hair from where it hung in front of her face so that she could meet his warm brown eyes. A guttural noise sounded from his throat as his lips descended on her, his body pressing her back into the bed. The alarm clock had not yet sounded, so she decided to indulge in the moment. Positioning her hips just so, she returned his fervent kisses, then promptly flipped his body over so that she now lay on top of him.

"Ooh," he growled, "Feisty today, eh, _Temperance_?"

"It's like I've always told you, _Seeley_," her grin was feral, as she lay a trail of kisses down him, beginning at his clavicle, "I'm an excellent driver."

She proceeded to prove just that to him and they swatted the snooze button on the alarm clock several times before they were sufficiently sated. Afterwards, they shared a leisurely shower before realizing how late it had become, forcing them to hurriedly ready themselves and Sadie for the day ahead.

Seeley shocked her by tossing her his keys just as they reached the SUV.

"You proved yourself," he waggled his eyebrows at her leeringly as he moved to transfer Sadie's seat from her car to his.

Not one to turn down such an offer, she quickly hopped in the driver's seat and started the engine before he could change his mind. He just laughed, adjusting the seat in the back and getting Sadie all buckled in before climbing in the passenger's seat next to her.

"Tally ho," he smiled.

She wasn't sure what he meant by that, but she did notice that once again he had failed to buckle his own safety belt and she glared at him until he fastened it.

"This is just wrong," he grumbled as she took off for the Hoover, "I try to be nice and you tie me down for the ride."

"Do we need to revisit the merits of wearing one's seatbelt?" she asked.

"No, but what if there's an emergency and we need to stop quick and get out?" he whined.

"If it was necessary for us to come to a rapid halt," she countered, "Then it would be prudent of you to have your seatbelt on so that you would not be propelled into the dashboard, or even more dangerous, the windshield."

They bantered back and forth on the topic for the rest of the trip, though he effectively ended it by kissing her when they reached the parking lot. She scowled at him and warned him that such antics would not be acceptable once they entered the building. He pouted, but relented, though not before kissing her once more. Finally, she shook him off and they made their way inside with Sadie in tow. Just as they were dropping Sadie off at daycare, Charlie called and asked to meet them in Booth's office.

The next hour was spent deciding what to do now that the warehouse had been purged. Charlie was eager to go after Burke first thing and wring a confession out of him, but Booth vetoed that course of action, pointing out that the more evidence that they had against him going in, the more likely he was to cave quickly.

Temperance watched the exchange between the two men with curiosity. It was not often that she got to observe Booth in his native work environment and it was fascinating to watch as he guided the younger agent through the process of building a case so that it would be successful once they got to the courtroom. He was patient with Charlie, never demeaning even when she could tell that Charlie had given the wrong answer, or suggested something outrageous. Booth was also quick to praise Charlie for the good work that he had been doing and the effort that he was putting into the case.

"You're a very good teacher," she observed once Charlie had left.

"Thanks, Bones," he smiled, leaning back in his chair, "Charlie's a good agent, though. It won't be too long 'til he's ready to move to the next step."

"Are you going to let him aid in the interrogations?" she wondered aloud.

"Yup," Booth nodded, "He's ready for it and the first few should be pretty easy anyway. We're gonna start with the girls and I'm not expecting too much of a fight there."

"Are you going to hand them over to Immigration once they are done here?"

"Well," he rubbed his palm against the back of his neck, "The ones who are here illegally, yes, we've got no choice. But according to this," he held up the file that Charlie had left with them, "Half these girls are US citizens- like Candie. In fact, I'm hoping that some of them remember her enough to give us some kind of clue as to what set Burke off on her."

She nodded, "Was Burke's DNA profile sent over to the Jeffersonian? Hodgins was able to procure DNA from the fingernail he found and we have already ruled that it was not Candie's."

"It should've been, but I'll call down and make sure," he picked up his office phone and made the call.

That done, they headed down to the interrogation room. Sweets was there as usual to listen in and offer help where he could and he and Temperance made their way to the observation lounge, while Booth and Charlie headed into the room. The first group of girls that they questioned acted more scared than anything else. They were more than happy to tell the agents anything they wanted to know, though their stilted English made them difficult to understand. These girls had not been there by choice and it sickened Temperance to hear how they had been lured from their home villages with the promise of a new life in America, only to be forced into prostitution once they arrived.

The second group of girls that were brought in could not have been more different. Like Candie, these were women who had chosen prostitution as a career. For the most part they were jaded and hostile. Their body language became completely closed off once they realized that their feminine whiles would not work on either agent and all but one of them demanded legal representation before they would say anything further.

The sole exception to that was the final girl that was interviewed. She was decidedly less brash than the rest of her colleagues and not as closed off as the others had been. As soon as Booth had asked her to identify a picture of Candie, her face had fallen, tears pooling in her eyes as he gently told her that Candie was dead. They allowed her time to grieve before moving forward.

As it turned out, the girl- Lilly Becket- had been friends with Candie for several years. She told Booth that Candie had been a favorite of Burke's for several years and had been hired out to some of the company's most prestigious clients. She had been so much a favorite that Burke had kept her in his employ in spite of her pregnancies- apparently there were several men who specifically asked for pregnant women.

"Lilly," Booth asked carefully, once she had shared her story, "Can you think of any reason why Burke would want to kill Candie?"

Lilly nodded tearfully, "Her last John- the one who got her pregnant with Sadie- he found out and offered to get her out. He- he said she deserved more than just selling herself and he really wanted to help her raise his kid- and Maddie and Joey too. They were supposed to meet up somewhere and he was going to set her up with a real job and everything."

She was quiet for a minute and Booth and Charlie simply waited patiently for her to continue.

"When Artie found out she'd left he was furious," she whispered, "He left for a while, and when he came back he didn't say anything about Candie, but things started to change. That was when he moved all of the business to the warehouse and started keeping an eye on us premium girls. He said it was for our protection and that anyone who signed up to live there would get a twenty percent raise.

"So we did," she shrugged, "And he made it worth our while. We had good food, nice clothes, comfortable rooms, and more Johns than we'd ever had before. Artie even set us up with bank accounts. People stopped mentioning Candie and how things had been before but I- she was my friend and one of the nicest people I've ever known and I couldn't forget her."

Booth thanked her for her cooperation and called for her to be escorted out before he and Charlie came up to the observation lounge to join Temperance and Sweets. They chatted for a few minutes before dispersing for lunch, promising to meet back in two hours to begin the next round of interrogations.

"Diner?" Seeley asked once they were alone.

She nodded affirmatively, "Would you like Sadie to accompany us?"

"No," he shook his head wearily, "Not this time."

She didn't fully understand, but she decided that now would not be an appropriate time to ask for an explanation so she let the subject drop, following him out to the SUV. They found their regular booth empty and sat down on opposite sides of the table.

"Well," he commented once their food arrived, "I guess Lilly's story changes what we were thinking as far as the Zapp case."

"Indeed," she nodded, "I doubt, however, that he intended for her to have the cocaine as well as the diary."

"Yeah, that wouldn't make sense, unless he knew that someone was on his tail and he gave her all of the evidence to keep safe," he said.

"Then why would she not turn it in to the proper authorities?"

"Who knows," Seeley shrugged, "Maybe she was going to, but Burke caught up with her first."

"But she used pages of the diary to write to Maddie and Joey," she pointed out, "Not to mention using the blank pages as her own diary. It does not seem logical for her to have done such a thing if she planned to turn it in as evidence."

"That's probably a piece of the puzzle we'll never quite get figured out," he sighed, "At least we know that Burke was super ticked at her, and that he moved the operation underground after he got back. Lilly gave us her necklace too, so we should be able to match it with the quartz slices that Hodgins found."

She nodded, "The DNA results will take some time to procure, but Hodgins did text me that they had received the sample from the FBI and were running it through as efficiently as possible. He'll be pleased to get an intact necklace as well."

"Want me to run you over to the lab so you can give it to him in person?" he asked.

"Don't you have more interviews to conduct?" she asked.

"Well, yeah," he admitted, "But we won't be going after Burke until we get the DNA back so you might as well go back and get some of your non-FBI work done."

She frowned, pondering his words while finishing her meal. As much as she enjoyed getting to observe the interrogation process, she knew that she would not be of much help and that she had other work that needed to be done that had little or nothing to do with their case. She thought about the papers that still needed to be graded along with all of the paperwork that she still needed to sign off on, not to mention some of the other work that she had to catch up on still from her long absence.

"You will inform me if there are any new developments?" she asked.

"You're number one on my speed dial for a reason," he grinned.

"And you will inquire at the daycare as to whether or not Sadie qualifies to be cared for during their emergency hours?"

"Yup," he nodded, "You want some pie, Bones?"

He waggled his last forkful of the cooked pastry in front of her and she shook her head.

"How about second-hand?" he asked, putting the bite in his own mouth before leaning across the table until only centimeters separated their lips.

"You're incorrigible," she breathed the words into his slightly open mouth.

"I try hard," he replied, then closed the small gap between them.

A small sliver of the apple pie he'd been eating was transferred into her mouth, and he pulled back before she fully realized what he'd done. She chewed and swallowed it.

"What's the verdict, Dr. Brennan?" he asked teasingly.

"While cooked fruit is still not among my top food preferences," she said, washing out the taste with her coffee, "The method of delivery was highly pleasurable, thus allowing me to overlook some of the less than pleasing qualities."

"Hah," he crowed, "Face it, Bones, you just like making out with me!"

"I believe I said as much."

He grinned widely, slapped the table with his palms, and left the table, indicating that he would return momentarily. Moments later, he returned with a small box.

"Come on, Bones," he offered her his hand, "Time to get you to the lab and me back to the Hoover."

"What's that?" she pointed to the box as they made their way to the SUV.

"That," he said furtively, "Is for me to know and for you to find out later."

"How much later?" she wanted to know, watching him closely as he laid it on the back seat.

"Let's just say sometime after Dr. Brennan and Special Agent Booth get off of work for the night," his eyebrows moved up and down in a clearly suggestive manner.

"And after Sadie is in bed I would presume?"

"Oh yes, Bones," he nodded, parking just outside the Jeffersonian, "The contents of that box will lead to events that are rated no less than PG-13."

"Hmm," she said approvingly, leaning over to whisper provocatively in his ear, "Tell Seeley, I am looking forward to that prospect."

"Temperance," he groaned, eyes rolling back into his head in pleasure.

She pushed back his advances, shaking her head, "Later."

He pulled back reluctantly, handing her the evidence bag containing Lilly's necklace. She nodded her thanks and exited before he could make any further moves, waving as she closed the car door and headed for the lab. She immediately took the necklace to Hodgins, then moved to her office to determine what tasks needed to be accomplished before Booth came back.

In the middle of her desk, surrounded by stacks of paperwork, was a vase with six bright yellow daffodils and a small card that simply read, "I love you, Mrs. Booth."

She leaned over to inhale them, smiled both at the flowers and the man who had sent them, sat down in her chair, and got back to work.


	49. Review

Booth left the Jeffersonian, smiling at what he knew awaited his wife when she reached her office. He'd managed to call in the order for the daffodils while she was running around the house this morning getting Sadie ready and he would bet money that it was worth the death glare she gave him for leaving her to get ready alone. He wondered idly if she would call and thank him, then shook off the thought; knowing Bones she was probably waist deep in whatever work she had to do at the lab. She might say something to him tonight, but he knew better than to expect anything right away.

The rest of the afternoon played out like he'd figured it would. All of the guys that he and Charlie interviewed would be brought up on their own charges and no matter what kind of deal the Agents offered them, they weren't willing to give up anything. Booth had to give Burke credit. The man had engendered a good bit of loyalty from the people that worked for him. It didn't hurt that most of these guys had extremely healthy bank accounts and had been put up in penthouse-style apartments not far from the warehouse.

Charlie was disappointed that they didn't get any new information out of the afternoon interviews, but Booth told him not to be discouraged. They'd gotten a lot from the illegally imported girls this morning, not to mention everything that Lilly had given them. Booth was confident that between that and what the squints had puzzled out, they had more than enough to get a confession out of the guy- or if not, to roast him alive at trial.

The last of the interviews wrapped around three and Booth spent the next two hours filling out the paperwork from that, as well as stuff that was still filtering in from the raid. It was tedious and time consuming and his least favorite part of the job, though he'd found over the years that putting it off just made things worse. Of course this little bit that he was doing now was just the tip of the iceberg's worth of work that would be required once the case was closed. He'd come not to mind the closing paperwork as much over the past four years, because he and Bones always did that together.

He smirked. Being the highly competitive person that she was, Bones had quickly turned their post-case paperwork sessions into a crazy, convoluted race that he only half understood the rules to. They would start at exactly the same time, papers flying back and forth between them as they both signed in the appropriate places. Of course, being Bones, it wasn't just a race to see who could finish first, but also with the most accuracy. He lost most of the time, but he didn't care because it took the tedium out of the work and kept him sharp in the process.

Thinking of Bones made him look at the clock and he decided it was close enough to the end of the work day to leave. He put the stack of work that he'd finished into his outbox, tucking the few remaining pages in a file to take home. He also gathered up all of the files that held the various aspects of the case. It looked like they had all they were going to get, and it was time to lay everything out and see what they had. He intended to go into the Burke interrogation with no less than his A-game.

That done, he headed down to the daycare level to pick up Sadie. He chatted with the coordinator and found out they had no problem accepting Sadie into the overnight program if the need should arise. Apparently, Cullen had stopped by before the Booths had even gotten back to DC and informed the daycare that Sadie could come any time that the facility was open. Cullen had wanted to make sure that his top crime-fighting duo was still available to him whenever necessary.

"Well, kiddo," he looked down as Sadie as they walked hand-in-hand to the parking garage, "You ready to go find your Mommy?"

"Mama?" the toddler's head perked up and she began looking around for Bones.

"Yup," he lifted her up off of the ground and into the car, "She's at the lab, though, so we have to go pick her up."

"At the lab," Sadie parroted him.

"You got it," he smiled, planting a kiss on her soft cheek before closing her door and climbing into his own seat, "Better get used to it too, 'cause that's where you'll usually find her. She gets sucked in and forgets to do important things like eating."

"Time to eat," the little girl's smile lit up her entire face as she pumped her arms up and down wildly.

"Soon as we get Mommy," he assured her.

"Jeffers!" Sadie exclaimed as the large building came into sight, "Mama!"

Sadie was halfway to figuring out how to free herself by the time Booth parked and went around to get her. He carried her through the garage so that she wouldn't go dashing in front of a car, only setting her down when they reached the sidewalk. She wasted no time dashing away from him and up the path that led to the lab.

A loud squeal sounded from the little girl as a familiar figure descended the outside stairway, making its way toward them.

"Mama!" Sadie's little legs pumped double time as she raced toward Bones.

Just before she reached Bones, Sadie tripped, propelling her forward and into her mother's waiting arms. Bones scooped her up, preventing her from a fall, and laughed as Sadie proceeded to plant a loud, wet kiss on her cheek. Sadie then offered her own cheek to Bones, who happily obliged.

"Hey," he adopted a teasing frown, "What about me?"

Bones leaned down and whispered in Sadie's ear. Sadie grinned and ran over to him, planting a kiss on his cheek as he knelt to meet her.

"Not exactly what I was thinking," he said over his shoulder to Bones as he picked up Sadie.

She smiled in that demure little way that told him she knew exactly what he'd been thinking and his eyes widened as she blew several kisses at him, leering the entire time. Tonight was gonna be great, he could feel it.

With Sadie still in his arms he stood up and turned toward the car. Bones came up and began walking beside him, their steps in perfect synch with one another. He threw her a smile and offered her his free hand. Surprisingly, she took it, lacing her fingers in with his and giving it a squeeze.

"Thank you for the flowers," she said as the entered the parking garage, "Was there any significance to the number?"

He loaded Sadie into her seat and he and Bones took theirs.

"Yup," he smiled, starting the engine, "There's one for each of us."

"Each of who?" she looked confused.

"Our family, Bones," he explained patiently as they made their way home, "There are six of us now: you, me, Sadie, Parker, Maddie, and Joey."

"I like that," she said simply, "Though you realize that it is not necessary for you to secure my affections through the continued giving of gifts?"

"I thought you liked them?" now he was the confused one.

"I said I liked the symbolism implied," she corrected, "But I also want you to be aware that you needn't make frivolous purchases in order to prove your devotion to me or continue to mark me as your own- I am well aware of your feelings for me."

"Frivolous?" he exclaimed, "I put a lot of thought into that for you, Bones: getting your favorite flower, picking a meaningful number. Look, most women would be thrilled, why are you making such a big deal about this?"

"I'm not, you are," she shot back, "I simply wanted you to know that such things are not necessary for the furthering of our relationship. However, your comment about 'most women' being 'thrilled' is a garish generalization and slightly offensive. Did you assume that I would become magically morph into a simpering housewife once we married?"

It only went downhill from there. By the time they got home, things had escalated from mere bickering, to a full-blown argument. She was so wound up that as soon as the car was stopped in the driveway, she got out, slammed the car door shut, and flounced into the house, leaving him to take care of Sadie.

"You know, kiddo," he said, opening the back door, "As much as I love your mom I just don't get her some-"

He stopped short, staring at the scene in front of him.

Sadie was covered from head to toe in the double chocolate cake that he'd set on the backseat for he and Bones to share later that night. Crumbs littered the area in and around the car seat. Her pearly white teeth flashed in a smile in stark contrast to the brown that covered the rest of her face.

"Well," he grimaced, trying to decide how he was going to get her out without ruining his expensive suit, "Not like I was going to get to use that anyway."

"Yummy food!" Sadie said.

"Glad you think so," he smiled down at her, setting her down on the ground outside of the car before brushing anything off of her, "You know, for a minute there I almost forgot that a quiet kid means that trouble is in the works."

Finally, enough of the crumbs were gone so that he could take her in.

"Bones!" he bellowed on entering the house, "I could use some help here! No, Sadie! Get back here!"

Sadie had squirmed out of his loose grip and was headed for the living room. All he could picture was her doing a face-plant up against the couch that she liked running into and he hurried off to stop her, alternately calling for Sadie and Bones.

He caught her just as she was about to hit the couch and spun around with her under his arm.

"What happened?" Bones entered the living room, her jaw dropping at the sight.

"Well," he dragged the word out, "Remember that box I brought out from the diner?"

"The one whose contents you claimed would lead to sex?" she asked bluntly.

"Yeah, that," he nodded, "Well, Sadie found it and apparently she likes chocolate every bit as much as you do."

"Apparently," she was chuckling, "Would you like some assistance?"

"Please," his eyes connected with hers, begging for help, "You want the kid or the car?"

She didn't say anything because she was still trying not to laugh outright, but she did take Sadie from him. She took the toddler into the kitchen and proceeded to strip Sadie down to her diaper. That done, she wiped off the majority of the icing from Sadie's face with a warm, wet washcloth.

"I'll go clean out the car," Booth jerked a thumb at the door.

Bones nodded, "I'll give Sadie a bath."

"Sorry," he said, hoping she'd pick up that he meant it for more than just the mess.

"As am I," she nodded knowingly.

They parted ways. Forty-five minutes later, Booth was back inside, shivering, but glad that he'd gotten the mess out before it'd had time to set into the carpet and glad that the car seat had removable pads that could be washed. He deposited the mess in the laundry room sink downstairs and headed back up.

A steaming mug of coffee awaited him and he tossed a grateful look at Bones, who was on the phone at the moment.

"The food will be here in about an hour," she told him as she hung up, "I ordered Chinese because you had some coupons on the fridge."

"I'm horribly offended, Dr. Brennan," he teased, clutching a fist over his chest, "That you'd offer to buy me food based on a coupon! I feel so cheap; so used."

"I feel that you are mocking me," she countered lightly.

"Maybe," he trapped her between himself and the island, abandoning his coffee for a minute, "You should punish me."

She raised an eyebrow before kissing him quickly on the cheek and skittering out from under him before he could stop her. He smiled and went back to his coffee, draining it quickly before going out to join his family.

Two hours later, Sadie was in bed and the last of the takeout containers was emptied. He and Bones worked together to clean up the kitchen before settling down in the living room with a thick stack of papers.

"What is our objective tonight?" she wanted to know.

"Basically, we need to go back over the whole case and construct a timeline," Booth explained, "That way, we'll know exactly what we have when we go up against Burke. This," he hauled out one of the larger files, "is all of the evidence we've collected on the FBI side of the investigation. The rest are my notes on what you and the Squint Squad have come up with, except, of course, anything that got wrapped up today."

"Is this something you always do before an interrogation?" she asked.

"When I have the time, it's nice," he nodded, "Especially on these longer cases."

"I don't believe I ever realized how much work you do on a case outside of the work we do together," she didn't sound hurt that she'd been left out, just surprised.

"Yeah, well," he smiled, "Usually I do a better job of keeping a timeline running as we're going through the investigation, but this time there was a lot more going on."

He moved from the couch and set up his easel, along with his extra-large sized pad of paper, bisecting the paper with a long, horizontal line.

"FBI stuff goes on top and squint stuff on the bottom," he explained quickly, "First, we know that about two and a half years ago Candie Lane became pregnant by Paul Zap," he made a vertical line jutting up from the beginning of the horizontal line, then put it into shorthand, "Now, according to Lilly, Zap found out about Sadie and offered Candie some way out, though it's not really clear if he wanted to marry her, or just get her out of the business. A few months later, he's undercover trying to ferret out Red Mist's secrets and they meet up-"

"At which point the diary and the cocaine evidence move into Candie's possession," Bones nodded, catching on to what he was doing.

He couldn't hide a smile as she took his extra marker and added a new line for the diary, this time underneath the line.

"Right," Booth nodded, "And a week after Lilly said they met up, Paul's found floating in the Chesapeake. Candie, I think, knew that Burke was going to be ticked with her for leaving, so she takes everything and moves to Lusby."

"Hodgins set time of death for Candie just two months after Zap's death," Bones said, "And her body was not recovered until nine months after TOD. She was found with a broken rose quartz necklace that matches the one given to us by Lily. We also discovered two impact craters in her skull, along with a fractured jawbone, indicating that she was struck once with a closed fist to the jaw and twice in skull with a heavy, blunt object from beind and to the left of her."

"Burke is powerful enough to have caused that much damage," Booth grimaced at the thought, "And those necklaces were given out by Burke. Within a month of Candie's TOD, Burke quits his job and takes his prostitute business completely underground and sets up shop at the warehouse."

They continued listing all of the key events and forensic evidence that had been collected since the start of the investigation. Then Booth showed her the process he went through to take all that data and formulate specific questions to wheedle a confession out of Burke.

"So the only thing we're missing," he said, as they started to close up shop and head to bed, "Are the DNA results."

"Cam assures me we should have them by midday tomorrow," Bones offered, "And it should not take long after that to compare it with the DNA found in the fingernail."

"Sounds good," he yawned.

In tandem, they began their nightly bedtime routine, ending up in bed at almost exactly the same time. Making sure that she was ready, he turned off the bedside light, plunging them into darkness.

"Seeley," she said, slipping into his outstretched arms, "Thank you for tonight."

"What do you mean, Bones?" he asked, pulling her close.

"I enjoyed learning how you process a case on the investigative side," she answered, "It was especially enlightening to learn how you formulate questions for interrogations."

"Should I be afraid you're going to strike out on a solo career now that you know all my tricks of the trade?" he teased.

"No," she laughed lightly, "Though I am now aware of the process, I doubt I could ever be as effective as you in that area. For one thing, I lack your interpersonal skills, not to mention I have no inclination toward intuitive leaps."

He smiled, pretty sure that she had just admitted he was better at something than her.

"Besides," she let out a long, loud yawn, "We're the center…"

"And the center must hold," he finished, planting a soft kiss in her silky hair.

She nodded, snuggled closer to him, and drifted off to sleep.


	50. Results

**Sorry for the delay. Theme muse has been in full-swing lately, but case muse has not. The end is near, but in the meantime, we're getting close to the final showdown.**

**Gum**

* * *

The next morning, the Booths decided that Temperance would go to the Jeffersonian and Seeley to the Hoover. They still had to wait on the DNA results and they each had work that needed to be done separately. He dropped her off at the lab, but only after securing a promise from her that she would call as soon as the results were in.

"So," Angela invited herself into Temperance's office an hour later, "Did you give our fave piece of FB eye candy a big 'thank you' for the flowers last night?" Angela was waggling her eyebrows in a manner that suggested a sexual inference.

"No," she shook her head, not looking up from the e-mail she was composing, "Though we did fight about it."

"Brennan!" Angela protested, "Why is it that just when I think you're growing into a normal person I end up feeling like I should be slapping you silly?"

"I have no control over your thought-processes," she pointed out, turning to face the artist even as her fingers continued to type.

"You know that's creepy when you do that right?" Angela asked.

Temperance shrugged.

"Okay, I'll bite," Angela sighed heavily, "What in the worlds could you two have fought about over him sending you flowers?"

"I simply tried to explain to him that, while I appreciate the gesture, it's unnecessary to secure my affections," she stopped typing and gave her own sigh, "Honestly, Ange, we are married now. I am not in any doubt of his love, so I do not see why he has this continuous need to assert his feelings through physical gifts or special actions. It feels as if he is still trying to stake a claim, so to speak, where there is no longer any reason to.

"I'm certain that it will not make my affections for him any surer than they already are; if anything they are driving me to distraction, not to mention I am beginning to wonder if he expects me to be lavishing the same types of affections on him."

"First off, Sweetie, I think we both know that Booth's not the type of guy to give something just to get something in return," they shared a smile as Temperance sent off the e-mail, sitting back in her chair to listen to her friend fully, "Also, you might not feel more or less loved when he does little things for you, but it's obvious that giving gifts is how Booth shows his love for you.

"Whether you accept it or not, that man has had feelings for you for years now," Angela smiled, unconsciously rubbing her ever-increasing mid-section, "So I'd say some of this is just Booth making up for lost time. The other part is that giving little gifts here and there is a part of who he is and how he's wired to express his love. He's not doing this because he's insecure, or because he thinks you are."

The analytical part of Temperance's mind began sifting through Seeley's past actions that would prove Angela's theory. She thought about the list of things that she had accused him of "marking" her with, and she added the spontaneous take-out meals that he would show up on her doorstep with late at night to the list as well. As she ruminated, an established pattern did emerge and she was forced to admit that Angela's points were valid.

"It's still stifling," she muttered.

Angela laughed, "Yeah well, to you maybe, but not to Booth so try to keep that in mind, okay?"

She nodded mutely.

"So how do you let Booth know that you love him?" Angela wanted to know next.

"I tell him," she said matter-of-factly, "Or we make love- though I suspect that is more of a manifestation of our lust rather than our love."

"It's both," the artist assured her, "Jack and I have been together for over two years now and believe me it might start as all hormones and lust, but after a while it's that plus love. Don't get me wrong, it's still hot- but it feels like coming home too."

"Seeley is a very good lover," Temperance nodded, wondering why her friend was snorting, "Though I admit that I enjoy the intimate conversations that we share just after love-making as well."

"Why do I get the feeling I should have waited a minute longer before coming up here?" Hodgin's voice sounded in the doorway, his face quickly turning scarlet.

"Don't worry, Hodgie," Angela grinned as her husband moved to stand beside her, "I told her our sex life is still hot too."

"People," Cam appeared in the doorway next, "A little bit of professional decorum in the workplace, _please_! I just hired Dr. Edison on the proviso that we would strive for a professional environment and I do _not_ want to have to search for his replacement right off the bat. You are all married now so keep it in your own beds please!"

The three shared a look, then nodded accordingly.

"Thank you," Cam heaved a sigh of relief, "Now, Dr. Brennan, I just got the DNA results back and was wondering if you would like to forward them on to Booth?"

Temperance nodded, accepting the folder that Cam offered and scanning the page for the results.

"It's a match?" she confirmed.

"Ninety-nine point nine percent," Cam nodded with a smile.

Hodgins and Angela erupted into a small cheer and a satisfied smile spread across Temperance's face as well. They had him.

As if on some unseen cue, the room emptied, leaving her alone to call Seeley.

"Hey, Beautiful," his rich voice filled her ear as his picked up the phone, "Whatcha got for me?"

"DNA results," she wasted no time getting to the point, "Arthur Burke's DNA is a ninety-nine point nine percent match to that of the fingernail found at Candie Lane's burial site."

"Any of the fingernail left?"

"Half of it."

"Good."

Having half of the fingernail left meant that if Burke's lawyer tried to question the results they could replicate the findings.

"Okay," Seeley went on, "Charlie's bringing over a mess of possible murder weapons for your gang to sift through, but the DNA along with the necklace and Lilly's testimony will be enough for us to try and wrangle a confession out of him. So do you want me to swing by and pick you up for lunch before we haul him in or do you want to get this over and done with now?"

"Now," she said without hesitation, "I believe that we have been made to wait long enough to bring him to justice."

"Couldn't agree more, Bones," she could hear the sound of an engine starting as he spoke, "I'll be there in five."

Sure enough, five minutes later she heard his swift footsteps making their way up the stairs toward her office as he bellowed her name.

"Chop chop, Bones," he said, grabbing her coat off of the rack and holding it out for her, "Time to stick it to the bad guy."

"What are we going to stick?" she asked, confused, but moving into the jacket's warm embrace.

"Never mind," he shook his head with the smile he reserved for moments where she had just missed some sort of figure of speech or pop culture reference, "Got those results for me?"

She picked up the folder on her desk and held it out for him. He snatched it from her, grinning widely and planting a small kiss on her cheek.

"You're the best, Bones!"

"Technically," she pointed out as they closed up her office and began walking in the direction of the SUV, "Cam is the one who ran the DNA profile, so she is the one who deserves the kiss; though I would not recommend it at this juncture as she has asked all of us to maintain proper, professional decorum while at work. Clark Edison has an aversion to sexual discussions in the workplace, and to be honest I find it distracting as well. Not that I am adverse to discussing sexual relations with my friends, however, both Clark and Cam are correct that such things are not appropriate unless it pertains directly to the case."

"And yet," he smiled at her, catching her left hand in his right as they exited the building, "You always made sure to keep me updated on your sex life plenty while we were on the clock."

"Yes well, part of that was _your_ fault for arriving at my apartment early in the morning without pausing to consider that I might be entertaining male guests," she teased back.

"You just had to put it that way didn't you?" he groaned.

"What way?"

"'Entertaining', Bones? Really?" he shook his head as he opened her door and ushered her into the passenger's seat, "Makes it sound like somebody was paying for something."

"Well they weren't," she informed him as he entered the driver's seat and started the car, "And that seems very distasteful considering the man we are going to interrogate."

"Your words, not mine," he said teasingly, ignoring her glare, "Either way, I don't have to worry about _that_ happening anymore."

"No?" she asked coyly.

"Nope," he grinned, "'Cause the only naked man running around your place these days is _me_!"

"So I've noticed," she said drily, "Though hopefully you will restrain yourself as Sadie grows older."

"Bones," he whined as they exited the vehicle, "I have never exposed myself to her and I never would. That's just wrong!"

"I was just teasing," she assured him with a light touch to his arm, "You're a very good father, Seeley."

"Thanks," he smiled, then bent down to kiss her again just before the parking garage elevator opened for them.

She shoved him firmly into the elevator, muttering under her breath that he needed to behave. His face was the picture of innocence and he leaned back against the elevator wall, arms crossed loosely, and began whistling a tune that she didn't recognize. As they stepped out into the hallway toward the interrogation room, he instantly adopted an air of professionalism, pressing his hand up against her lower back only long enough to usher her through the open elevator door.

"You ready for this?" he asked, straightening his tie.

She nodded once, not trusting her voice to betray her underlying feelings. Behind that door was the man they had been searching for over the last several months- the man who had killed Maddie, Joey, and Sadie's mother in a sadistic, violent manner. It had taken the combined efforts of the Jeffersonian and the FBI- costing a man his life, even- in the attempt to build a case again him.

Oh yes, she told herself, she was more than ready for Arthur Burke.


	51. Kung Fu Bones

Booth saw the set of his wife's jaw and knew she was as ready for this as he was as he opened the door and led the way into the interrogation room. Burke was already there, of course, and Booth took his time going around to the other side of the table, trying to get a read on what he was up against in this guy. Facts and figures might do it for Bones, but he needed to see the suspect in order to get a read on him.

One of the first things that Booth noticed was that Burke was built. He was, according to his driver's license, as tall as Booth and just as heavy too. There wasn't a scrawny muscle on the guy and Booth would put money down that Burke could bench press like a champ. The guy had been one of those personal trainers who followed a strict regimen, not one who was there to work with the hot chicks. No wonder Candie's skull had ended up in a hundred and thirty-eight pieces.

Another thing that stood out to Booth was the way Burke was sitting in the chair. Some suspects, like Graft, sat casually in the chair with an air of smugness. Others, like Epps, always leaned in real close when they talked, as if they _knew_ they were smarter than you. Burke, by comparison, looked neither smug nor superior. He sat up straight in the chair, though not so much that it looked like he was uncomfortable.

He was completely at ease with his surroundings, like he'd been summoned to a business meeting and not an interrogation. These, Booth knew from long experience, were the guys to watch out for. They were sure of themselves, but not too sure; intelligent, to the extent that they knew exactly what was going on and how to give the right answers. Burke wouldn't be tipping his hand to them anytime soon and he wouldn't cop a plea unless Booth played his own cards just right.

As he and Bones took their seats on the opposite side of the table from Burke, Booth noticed another thing that told him this was going to be a long day. Just as surely as Booth had been reading Burke, Burke had been doing the same thing to Booth and Bones. He watched as Burke's eyes flicked over him, trying assess the competition. Then Burke's eyes shifted to Bones and where most of the male suspects they interviewed at this point were eyeing her like a piece of meat, Burke's gaze was shrewd and he seemed to take her role in what was to come seriously.

"Mr. Burke," Booth started out, tone neutral, "I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"Dr. Brennan, I am a fan of your work," the man dipped his head in deference to her.

"Yeah, pal," Booth nodded, "So are the other millions of people who read her books."

"Oh no," Burke shook his head, "You misunderstand. I was referring to her scholarly writings, particularly in the area of kinesiology," he turned to Bones, "I have recommended several of your articles to my colleagues in the personal training field."

Booth groaned inwardly, trying hard not to cringe when Bones accepted the comment with a nod and one of her polite smiles. The man was smooth, but not obvious, and that was a dangerous combo. He was also smart, which meant he wouldn't bite on the sarcastic cop angle that Booth had started out with.

"Mr. Burke, we're investigating the disappearance of one of your former employees," Booth said, shifting gears and pulling out a picture of Candie that they'd gotten from her things, "Do you recognize this woman?"

Burke slid the picture over to his side of the table, careful not to leave a print on the glossy surface, and frowned in concentration for a moment.

"Yes," he nodded finally, "This is Candie Lane. As you said, she was employed by my company; however, she has not been with us for nearly a year now. Agent Booth, if this is about the adult content my company puts out, I assure you that all of our publications fall within the boundaries of the law and we are very careful to screen all of our subscription holders to be sure they are of age. The same is true of our employees as well. I'm sure you will find that the business records your men seized will bear that out."

Booth nodded. All of the computers that had been seized in the raid had borne no overt references to the prostitution side of the business, and most of the other equipment they'd found was photography stuff. Everything looked like it was a legitimate porn business and if it weren't for Lilly's testimony they might not have a prostitution case.

Charlie had been mad as hell when he'd found out this morning that all of the foreign girls not only had all turned out to be over eighteen, but they had also all clammed up suddenly and were refusing to testify against Burke in court. It hadn't surprised Booth as much as it had disappointed him, but he'd learned that people who'd lived in fear like those girls had didn't necessarily show up come trial time. Not that it mattered, because he knew the murder charge would stick; it just disgusted him to see people getting away with that type of exploitation.

"We can discuss your business some other time," Booth assured Burke, "Right now, though, a former employee of yours is dead and we'd like some answers from you."

Burke had the decency to look appalled at Booth's revelation, but said, "I'm sorry to hear that. Candie was well-liked among the other girls, as well as our regular subscribers. Are her children being properly cared for?"

It took all of Booth's restraint- and Bones' subtle touch on his leg under the table- not to reach over and strangle the man right there.

"They are," he said instead, his voice deadly calm, "When was the last time you had any contact with Candie?"

"At least a year ago," Burke's forehead bunched as if he were trying to recall something, "I couldn't give you an exact date, though. That was around the time that the company launched into the full-fledged business it is now. Before that I worked as a personal trainer, though I'm sure that comes as no surprise to you?"

"No," Booth shook his head, "It does not. We find it very interesting, however, that you essentially moved off the grid in the same time frame which Dr. Brennan and her team have given for Candie's time of death."

"Pure coincidence, I can assure you," Burke replied, "And you can hardly call moving and opening a new business going "off the grid" as you put it. I will admit that I have had difficulties updating my address as we were in transition for a good six months before moving into the warehouse. But, again, our records will bear out that we are a law-abiding, tax-paying organization."

"I agree that is what the record shows," Booth let the man have his moment of victory, "But a part of me is curious as to why a guy like you would let a girl like Candie go like that? If she was that popular, I mean."

For the first time, he picked up the slightest squirm, though Burke buried it quickly before offering a casual shrug of his shoulders.

"We also," Booth said, taking papers out of the file, "Found some receipts that put you pretty close to Candie at the time of her death."

"I admit that I tried to persuade her not to leave," Burke said slowly.

"Ever meet this man?" Booth slid over a picture of Paul Zap.

"I believe that is the father of Candie's youngest daughter," Burke answered, his voice smooth and even again, "Though I've never met the man in person."

"He's dead too," Booth said bluntly, slapping the picture for emphasis.

Burke's eyes widened in surprise for the first time, "I know nothing about that!"

"Really?" Booth pressed, "Because it's sounding shady from where I'm sitting. Let's see, first you lose your best girl when she runs off with the latest guy who's knocked her up. She has no interest in coming back into the fold, so you kill her man, then run after her and let her know that he's gone, but you'll be there to pick up the pieces if she'll just come home. She's figured out in the meantime that she doesn't need or want you anymore, so you decide that if you can't have her, nobody can."

"Zap was already dead when I talked to her," Burke's ire was rising and Booth knew he'd finally hit a nerve.

"Was that when she gave you this back?" Booth showed him the computer's composite of Candie's shattered necklace, "'Cause we found it buried with her. And don't even try to tell me you've never seen that before, 'cause it's plastered on her neck in all of your publications."

Burke's jaw set and he sat back in the chair, arms crossed, saying nothing.

"It's okay, Artie," Booth employed the nickname that Lilly had used, "I get it. You find a beautiful girl, make something of her, and what does she do? She leaves without a backward glance, telling you how she doesn't need you now and she never did."

"I made her," the other man ground out.

"And she couldn't care less," Booth nodded sympathetically, "So you did what you had to do."

The man said nothing, but stuck one finger in his mouth, unconsciously biting off the nail and spitting it out across the table.

As if she had been expecting him to do just that all along, Bones slipped on a latex glove and scooped up the nail in one smooth motion. She then produced an evidence bag and placed the nail inside, sealing it tightly afterward.

"Thank you," she said, "I am confident that my lab can match this to the similar nail found in Candie Lane's shallow grave."

Booth turned and smirked at her. She smirked back.

Burke flashed forward, moving around the table in the blink of an eye. He got a hold of Bones' left arm and shoved it up her back, eliciting a sharp gasp from her. She spun around before Burke could trap her completely, dropping the evidence bag and jamming the heel of her right hand into his jaw. Burke moved with the hit, absorbing it without a problem and reaching out for the arm that he'd dropped.

For a fraction of a second, Booth considered stepping in, but as Burke continued to lash out in anger, it was clear that Bones was the one in control. He winced when Burke's open palm connected with Bones' cheek and again when his foot connected with her kneecap, but she shook it off. Her blue-gray eyes sparked just before she jabbed his exposed ribs with her elbow, while her good knee slammed hard into his groin.

Her three-inch high heel pressed down on the base of his neck as he lay groaning on the floor.

"Is that enough of a confession, Booth?"

"Works for me."

She grinned as he came over and brought Burke none-too-gently to his feet, shoving him out into the waiting arms of the officer on the other side of the door. He turned back to his wife, who was trying to hide a grimace as she made her way over to him, collecting the file and the dropped evidence bag on her way. His hand immediately went to her back, the pressure more firm than normal so that she could lean into him for support without it being obvious.

A round of applause greeted them from the small crowd of agents who had apparently been watching from the observation lounge, along with a very jovial Caroline Julian who smiled broadly and told him to go take his Kung Fu wife out to lunch- then come back and get their paperwork to her ASAP. Booth assured the feisty lawyer that she'd get everything she needed.

"You need to get anything checked out?" he asked once the elevator doors closed on them.

She tested her knee and rotated her arm before shaking her head.

"My injuries appear to be superficial," she concluded, "His blows, while powerful enough, were poorly aimed and did not inflict as much harm as they could have."

He moved his hand to gently cover the palm-mark on her face, then tucked the strands of her hair that had come loose back behind her ear. Quickly returning his hand to his side as the elevator doors exposed them to the general public once again.

Bones frowned, "I thought we were going to the parking lot?"

"We'll get there," he assured her, his hand guiding her gently down the hallway, "Thought we might like some company after all that excitement."

"Mama! Dada!" Sadie spotted them as they approached the daycare doors.

The little girl burst out like a shot, arms outstretched and heading straight for Bones. Mother and daughter embraced for a long moment, before Sadie wiggled out of the hug and headed for him. Her pudgy arms latched onto his leg, only letting go when he stooped down to catch her up in his arms.

"Your mother's killer is in custody now, Sadie," Bones told her matter-of-factly as they headed toward the parking garage, "And I don't believe Caroline will have any trouble obtaining a successful conviction."

Sadie clapped her hands and smiled like she'd understood.

"Love lu, Mama."

Bones smiled tenderly, "I love you too, Sadie."


	52. Lunch Date

**Sorry. Internet has been giving me problems but I think those issues are finally resolved. Please let me know what you think.**

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The next several days flew by quickly. Caroline had been quite insistent on receiving her portion of the massive amounts of paperwork that the partners were required to submit in a timely fashion. This meant long days and late nights. Empty takeout cartons overflowed from the Booths' trashcan and a special play area had been erected for Sadie so that she could play, but not get into anything that she was not supposed to. For Temperance's part, her shoulder and knee remained sore throughout, but she ignored the pain, focusing on wrapping up the case instead.

After Burke's explosive episode in the interrogation room, there was little question as to his guilt. He'd hired a lawyer who was currently negotiating a plea bargain. Caroline assured them that she would not be letting Burke get off easy just because he copped a plea. The lawyer was working closely with Seeley on the FBI's prostitution case against Burke so that she could prosecute him for that as well. So far, it looked as if their efforts would be successful.

For the Jeffersonian's part, all of the pertinent case information had been typed out and submitted by each team member involved and sent along to Cam for final processing. Upon receiving and filing the final piece of paperwork Monday morning, Cam had declared that none of them were to return to work until after the holiday weekend. It was, she argued, close enough to Thanksgiving, not to mention the fact that it was one of the longest cases they had ever worked on..

The only person who was given leave to stay longer was Dr. Brennan- and only because her husband had dropped her off that morning and would be back at noon to pick her up for lunch. He'd finally been cleared for field duty and was out helping Charlie close down the warehouse crime scene now that everything had been gleaned for the trial. Usually, he would have left such details to the other agents under him, but he had practically been giddy this morning at the prospect, not caring in the least that it was a mundane task after weeks of being confined to his desk.

Temperance smiled as the last of her co-workers bid her goodbye, leaving her alone with the tranquility of the lab. Surprisingly, she had caught up fully on her paperwork, leaving her time to fill as she so pleased. For close to an hour, she indulged in reading from her recent anthropology journals, all the while deciding which topic she should publish on next. Once she had a topic in mind, she made a brief outline that she would research and follow up on at a later date.

She moved to her computer next, happy to find there were only three e-mails that required her immediate response. One of these was from her editor, reminding her that her final manuscript draft would be due on the first of December. She opened the file and made the last of the necessary corrections before sending it back with well wishes for the Thanksgiving holiday as well as an inquiry as to what would be required of her in terms of promotion. She and Seeley had not discussed how her book tour would be handled, but she wanted to be as well-informed as possible when she broached the subject.

Computer tasks completed, she shut the machine down and went back to her couch for some more reading. Raising a toddler had not proved conducive to leisurely reading, though it seemed between the three of them they had struck a balance so that Sadie received plenty of personal attention and the adults were still able to get work completed that had to be. A brief consultation of the clock assured her that Seeley's arrival was still an hour away and she planned to make good use of it.

"Please tell me that's not for work?" Seeley announced his arrival, slouching over to let his forearms rest on the back of the couch, neck craned to see what she was reading.

"It's not," she assured him, tilting the book up so that he had a clear view of the cover.

"Sherlock, huh?" he smirked, "Can't get away from crime even when you read for fun?"

"I find his investigation techniques quite intriguing," she informed him.

"Of course you do."

She ignored his obvious sarcasm and went back to her book. Two pages later she had completed the chapter and closed the volume.

"You done?" Seeley asked, looking up from the newspaper that he had engrossed himself in.

She nodded, accepting his hand as he helped her to her feet. There was no work for her to take home so she left her satchel hanging on its hook on her coat rack and eased into her jacket. Though the area had not yet gotten any snow, it was unseasonably cold outside.

"Where's Sadie?" she asked as they entered the SUV, her mind just now registering that the toddler had not accompanied Seeley as had become their routine.

"With Angela and Hodgins," he smiled as if he'd been waiting for her to ask since he'd arrived, "They want to practice parenting on a live kid and I figured now that the case is officially wrapped on both ends we could go out and celebrate."

"That doesn't fully explain her absence," she pointed out, "Sadie has accompanied us on several celebratory meals."

"Well," his patented charm smile crept up on his face, "Where we're going you have to be able to speak in full sentences and use silverware properly."

"And you're certain you qualify?" she teased, leaning back in her seat as he wove in and out of the noontime rush.

"Very funny," he retorted, making a face at her, "Do you realize that our last _real_ date was our first one? Not to mention, our household population is about to double in a few days guaranteeing that our one-on-one time will be nonexistent."

She nodded, knowing that he was correct. She had not realized that it had been so long since they had been out on a date and the prospect of getting to do so pleased her more than she thought possible. Given their professional partnership, and the fact that Sadie went to bed relatively early still, they had been able to spend a considerable time alone since returning to DC. Unfortunately, most of that time had been spent solving the case and working on the subsequent paperwork, with very little time being set aside for their personal relationship.

Her thoughts were cut short as Seeley found a parking space just up the block from one of their favorite Italian restaurants and escorted her inside.

"Now this," he smiled as the waiter seated them in a cozy, two-person booth, "Is perfect."

"Yes," she nodded, perusing the menu.

The waiter returned with the drinks they had requested and took their orders, promising that the food would not be long in arriving. The couple thanked him, watching amused as he scurried back toward the kitchen area.

Silence enveloped them as they sipped at their drinks. Seeley extended his hand to her across the table and she took it, lacing her fingers with his. A tender smile blossomed on his face and she dipped her head, cheeks flushing.

"You look nice today, Bones," he spoke softly.

"This is hardly a new outfit," she looked up at him, "And I didn't have time to apply my makeup this morning since you were in such a rush to leave."

"Yeah," he nodded, "I know. I like how you look without makeup."

"Thank you," she said, unsure of how to react. She cleared her throat, "Are you looking forward to the upcoming holiday festivities?"

"You mean Thanksgiving?" he teased.

She nodded.

"Yeah, Bones, I am, actually. It'll be good to have all of the kids under one roof again, and going to Hodgins' place will be great!"

"Why is that?" she arched an eyebrow.

"A couple reasons," his grin was widening, "First, we don't have to cook the meal. Second, we don't have to clean up after the meal. And third, there'll be enough room to spread out, so the kids won't drive us absolutely insane."

"Not to mention the fact that there is a rather large home theater in the mansion's basement on which to watch grown men wrestle over an oblong-shaped ball while wearing spandex," she intoned dryly.

"Football, Bones," he rolled his eyes, "And yeah, that'll be nice too."

Their food came then and they ate in companionable silence. Temperance had to admit that it did feel good to simply be "alone together" as Seeley had put it.

"You okay over there?" Seeley asked as their dinner plates were removed.

"Yes," she nodded, smiling, "I'm enjoying myself immensely, and you?"

"This is good," he smiled in return, leaning back in his seat, "Feels like we've been going at break-neck speeds for a while now, so it's good just to slow down and enjoy life for once."

"Yes," she agreed, "As you pointed out earlier we are not likely to have moments of tranquility such as this for some time."

"You okay with that?" Seeley asked, "With being overrun by kids and all the domestic stuff they come with?"

She shrugged, "I managed quite well during our time in Maryland, and this will be much shorter in comparison." She fixed him with a look that she hoped conveyed her earnestness, "This new lifestyle was a conscious decision on both of our parts and one that I did not enter into lightly. Had we chosen to raise all three children full-time, I would likely feel under more stress and not be as content as I am; however, that is not the case and in truth I am very much looking forward to being reunited with Maddie and Joey."

"They're good kids," Seeley said affectionately.

"Indeed," she agreed, "Especially given that their early home environment was one of anger and abuse."

"They'll heal eventually, Bones," he said, his eyes fixating on the coffee in front of him, "All it takes is one person who really cares and they've got two."

Their dessert came and they thanked the waiter as he left them the check to pay at their convenience.

"Who was that person for you?" she asked once they were alone again. He looked up at her questioningly so she elaborated, "You have grown into a warm, caring adult who is dedicated to both his work and family so who was the person who allowed the healing process to begin after your traumatic childhood?"

It was a long moment before he responded quietly, "My grandfather- my dad's dad- he was there for me; always letting me know that he loved me and stuff like that. He- he taught me all the things that my dad should've taught me but didn't. I think he always felt guilty that his son had turned out to be such a monster, but he never held it against me or Jared and he always made us feel safe when we were with him."

He stopped there, his focus shifting to the dessert in front of him, shoulders sagging as if that admission alone had cost him heavily.

They finished in silence, paid the bill, and departed. She was surprised when she noticed that they were driving, not in the direction of his townhouse, but of her apartment, though she said nothing. He pulled into the reserved space, turned off the engine, and came around to her side of the car.

She didn't protest as he took her hand gently to help her out, nor as his hand landed instinctively on the small of her back as he guided her inside the building. When they reached the apartment door, she allowed him to unlock it for her and escort her inside.

They shivered simultaneously at the chill that had permeated the vacant apartment and she moved into the kitchen to put her tea kettle on, while Seeley moved stiffly over to her couch and sunk down into it. He was still there, huddling under an afghan that he had located when she returned with two steaming mugs a few minutes later.

"Hot chocolate?" he asked, bemused.

She nodded, "My mother's recipe. She used to make it for Russ and I on cold nights. She claimed it would warm our souls as well as our bodies."

"Thanks," he said, drinking deeply of the warm liquid.

He extended his arm, lifting the blanket and inviting her to join him in its warmth, so she did. His arm wrapped around her shoulder blades, firmly pulling her as close to him as was humanly possible. The silence continued, though eventually his grip loosened and they both began to relax.

When the last of the hot chocolate had been drained, it was as if some unspoken cue was given and they both stood to their feet. Seeley took her mug from her and rinsed both mugs out in the sink while she folded the afghan and placed it neatly on the back of the couch where it had belonged.

"Sorry," he spoke finally, as they returned to their positions on the couch, "It's not that easy for me to talk about still, you know?"

She did and she dipped her head in acknowledgement. While he was definitely more candid and open with her about his past than he had ever been throughout their four-year partnership, they did not discuss it often. They rarely discussed her past either.

"It's not that I'm trying to hide things from you," he went on, obviously concerned that she had taken offense, "I- I guess I just try not to think about those days too much."

"I never thought that you were trying to keep things from me," she sought to reassure him by taking his hands into her own and rubbing them gently, "Any more than I presume that you feel as if I am keeping my past from you."

"Never," he shook his head.

"Exactly."

For the first time since he had spoken of his grandfather, a hint of a smile played across Seeley's lips.

"So who was it for you?" he asked, "Who made the difference in your life?"

"In my case, there were two people," she answered without having to think, "The first person was Angela. She wasn't put off at all by the fact that I did not know how to connect with people, and she demonstrated to me how a true friendship operates."

"And the second?" his voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes penetrating hers as if unsure what her response would be.

She held his gaze as her lips brushed his, then whispered in his ear, "You."


	53. Getting Away

Her lips were warm and wet, dispelling the chill of the apartment and easing the sadness and struggle that always came up when he thought about his past. Living with the memories of the hell that had been his childhood was not an easy thing and he rarely let his emotions on the topic get the best of him. Opening up to her at the restaurant, though, had left him feeling raw and vulnerable- two things that he was not at all comfortable with.

"Are you alright?" she asked, pulling back gently and meeting his eyes.

"I will be," he tried to scrounge up a smile, then decided to shift the focus, "So I'm your person, huh?"

"You and Angela," she nodded, curling her legs up underneath of her as she settled on his chest.

For several minutes they simply sat together, his hands running through her hair while hers lay at rest on his chest near her head.

"We should call Angela and see how Sadie is doing," she said finally, sitting up and looking around for her phone.

They called, were assured that Sadie was doing just fine, and decided to stay at Bones' apartment for the night. There was no food, but that was quickly remedied by a call to Sid. The restaurateur insisted that he'd have the food delivered when it was done so that they wouldn't have to come pick it up. He showed up personally a half hour later with food that smelled so good, Booth's mouth started watering as soon as he opened the door. Sid didn't stay long, and refused to take any money, claiming that it was his belated wedding gift.

The food tasted every bit as good as it smelled and was consumed in record time; though they both nursed the beers that Sid had brought to complement the food. When they were done, they moved back to the couch, snuggling close and enjoying one another's company. They talked about how lucky they were to have the friends that they did, laughed as they exchanged stories of Sadie's antics, and bickered about inane issues for several hours, until the conversation eventually faded into a companionable silence.

"This has been highly enjoyable," Bones spoke softly into the quiet, her fingers trailing idly down the buttons of his shirt as she smiled up at him.

"Fun, you mean?" he teased.

"In the vernacular, yes," she nodded.

"Uh uh," he shook his head, pulling her closer, "It's too late for big words, Bones."

"Vernacular is hardly a big word," she countered.

"Anything over three syllables is too big," he told her.

"Indeed?" she half-whispered back, smiling seductively up at him, "How about a one-syllable word?"

"'s long as it starts with 's' and ends with 'x' I'm good with that," he murmured as he cupped her face in his hand, reveling in the smoothness of her skin against his rough, calloused fingers.

She shifted onto her side toward him and he drew her body to his even as their mouths met. The kiss began soft- like before- but the softness did not last long as their hunger for each other increased.

Booth smiled through the kiss, remembering all of the other times he had been here throughout their partnership and how much he had always wanted to make out with her on this couch. To have her here with him now as his wife was even better.

Several minutes later when they came up for air, Booth decided that the couch was nice, but her bed would be even better. He lifted her up off of the couch and set her on her feet as she began the kiss anew, and even deeper than before. They stumbled down the hallway, pausing along the walls a few times, and leaving a trail of clothing in their wake.

He picked her up again as they neared the bedroom, carrying her through the door and setting her down lightly on the bed as if she were made of china. Apparently, she wasn't in a soft and gentle mood though, and before he knew it, she had pulled him down, flipped him over, and began massaging him from the feet up.

"Did I pick the right one-syllable word?" she asked several hours later as she lay in his arms.

"Oh yeah," he grinned down at her in the darkness, "And Temperance?"

"Yes, Seeley?"

"We are never selling this apartment!"

She chuckled.

"I'm serious," he said, "I don't care what kind of house we end up with or what we do with the townhouse, we are keeping this place so we can run away whenever we need to."

"Sounds good," she yawned, settling deeper into the pillow they were sharing, "G'night, Booth."

"Night, Bones."

The next thing he knew, sunlight was filtering in through the shades and her hand was gently tracing his jaw line.

"Time to wake up," she announced, shaking his shoulder.

"Don't wanna," he rolled over.

"You have to go to work and I need to pick up Sadie," she said matter-of-factly.

"Five more minutes," he grumbled.

"If you get up now we will still have time to shower together."

It was just about the only thing that could've gotten him up at that point. His body was tired from all of the abuse it had taken over the course of the case and one night of good sleep just wasn't going to cut it. Showering with her sounded good, though, and he reminded himself that today was his last day of work until after the weekend.

"Were you serious about keeping this apartment?" she asked as they hopped out of the shower and started dressing, "Because if so we should bring over some of our clothes to store here."

"That would be good," he said, climbing into his suit from yesterday, "And yeah, I was serious, Bones. Coming over here feels like we're running away; but we're still close-by to work just in case something comes up."

"Which inevitably happens," she smiled.

"Yup."

"It has been nice spending time together," she commented, pouring their coffee into two travel mugs before they headed out the door, "And I am much more at home here than I am in any hotel- not to mention I can be assured that it is a cleanly environment."

"No bedbugs to bite you here?" he teased as they locked up the apartment and walked to the elevator.

The plan was for him to drop her off at the townhouse so that she could get her car and pick up Sadie out at the Hodgins' mansion, whiled he went on to the Hoover.

"You wouldn't be as jovial if you knew how many foreign contaminants have been found in luxury hotel rooms, not to mention the semen-"

An older couple joined them on the elevator and he cut off her comment with a quick kiss. Sure, they got a weird look, but at least no one had to endure a lengthy lecture on bodily fluids. Bones opened her mouth to protest and he kissed her again, this time with a little bit more passion, hoping to distract her long enough to make it through the ride. Somehow, it had never seemed like it took this long to get to the ground floor before.

He released her just as they reached the ground floor and she flounced away as soon as the doors opened.

"Newlyweds?" the other man asked Booth.

He nodded his head as they entered the lobby.

"She's got spunk," the man grinned as his wife moved slightly ahead of them.

"You have no idea," Booth rolled his eyes.

The two men exchanged a knowing look before going their separate ways. Booth strode casually into the parking garage, smiling when he saw her leaning up against the SUV, arms crossed.

"Waiting for something, Bones?" he asked, drawing his keys from his pocket and dangling them in front of her.

She snatched at them, but he was quicker and pulled them back before she could get them. He hit the unlock button and opened the passenger side door as if he were a valet waiting to usher her in. Her glare could've melted glass, but he just waited and eventually she stalked over and got in, crossing her arms as soon as she was buckled up. He kissed her chastely on the forehead like he would Sadie and went around to the driver's side.

"Alpha-male," she muttered at him as he started the engine.

"Nope," he shook his head, "Just a guy who's not up to discussing what you were about to discuss in front of other people."

"Ejaculation is a naturally-"

"Occurring blah, blah, blah," he interrupted, "Still not good elevator talk, Bones- or anywhere else in public for that matter."

"Prude," she uncrossed her arms and crossed them again.

"Discreet," he corrected, "And I didn't hear you calling me a prude last night," he smirked.

That didn't get a full smile out of her, but she did uncross her arms and they managed not to bicker for the rest of the drive. She even leaned over and gave him a kiss when he dropped her off at the townhouse and wished him a good day at work.

Charlie was waiting for him when he finally got to his office and they spent the morning wrapping up their paperwork and submitting it. He called Bones at lunchtime, but Sadie was napping so they couldn't come meet him for lunch like he'd hoped. Deciding he didn't want to eat at the diner alone, he grabbed a sandwich from the cafeteria and went back to his office.

The rest of the afternoon passed agonizingly slow as all of the work on the old case was done and no new cases awaited him. He supposed that was a good thing since he was looking forward to a murder-free holiday with his family, but it did nothing for his boredom.

At two-thirty, Cullen called, saying that all of the paperwork from the Jeffersonian and the Hoover had cleared and that Booth was free to leave. Five minutes later, he was in the SUV, on his way home, wondering what Bones would have in store for them tonight.


	54. Homey Touches

"So, got any big chores to do before the troops arrive?" Angela asked when Temperance came to pick up Sadie.

"Actually," she sat down on the couch and took the coffee Angela offered, "I was thinking of buying new furniture for the bedrooms this afternoon since I will have some free time."

"Furniture?"

"Well, yes," she met the artist's eyes, "The last time that they all stayed at the townhouse we used temporary beds, since they were not staying long. This time, however, they will be staying several nights, and I feel it would be best for them to feel as comfortable as possible."

"Is it just comfort you're worried about?" Angela prodded.

"Not entirely," she answered with a sad smile, "When I was in foster care there were several times where the only bed provided for me was a cot, or an air mattress on the floor. Once, I stayed at a house for close to a year under such conditions. My 'room' was the living room and it was my responsibility to set up and take down the cot every day. Needless to say, it did not engender any feelings of permanency and belonging; though, ironically enough it was the house that I stayed in the longest.

"I don't wish for Maddie and Joey to feel as if they are only temporary members of our family. I spoke with Parker last night and he fully embraced the idea of purchasing a bunk bed for himself and Joey and allowing Maddie to have the single bed that he currently uses. The rooms are too small to accommodate dressers, so those we'll have to wait to purchase until we have a larger house."

"I'm impressed, Sweetie," Angela smiled, "You're really latching on to the whole family thing and running with it."

"For the first fifteen years of my life, I was a part of a family. I am not saying that it was perfect, but in many ways it was idyllic," a shadow crossed her face, "When my parents left, suddenly my family was gone; Russ' departure soon after that only exacerbated the feelings of hurt, emptiness, and loss.

"While there are good people in the foster care system, as a whole, I never found that they could never replace the family that I had lost and I convinced myself that a family atmosphere was not necessary in order for me to become a successful person. I was correct, inasmuch as I managed to build not just one successful career, but two in a relatively short amount of time."

"But you don't feel that way now," the artist stated more than asked.

"Correct," Temperance smiled, "Seeley theorizes that it only takes the positive influence of one individual in a person's life to help them learn how to forge emotional connections. I told him that, in my case, there were two such people."

"The obvious one being Booth," Ange grinned.

"Yes," she felt the slightest bit of heat creep up her cheeks, "Though he seemed surprised when I listed him," Angela's grin widened, but she said nothing, "The other person- the first person- would be you, Ange."

Angela looked every bit as surprised as Seeley had, so she elaborated.

"It was you who dragged me out to clubs and forced me to interact with people outside of the work environment. You demonstrated the merits of friendship to me first-hand and encouraged me to take the necessary risks required for any healthy relationship. You were very patient with me through the entire learning process and never held any blunders that I made along the way against me."

She stopped, noting that Angela had set aside her drink and was crying. Uncertain what was the correct course of action, she laid a hand on her friend's lap and squeezed her hands.

"It's mostly the hormones," Angela sniffed, quickly brushing away her tears, "You wouldn't believe the things I cry at these days."

Temperance nodded mutely, still at a loss of what to say or do.

"You're a good friend, you know?" Angela told her, "I mean, I know that you didn't always connect well at first and your girl talk still leaves something to desired," she gave a watery smile and Temperance smiled back, "But you've never judged me no many how many psycho guys I've dated, you keep me honest to myself, and you're loyal to the core. You- Temperance Joy Booth- are my bosom friend."

"As in _Anne of Green Gables_?"

"Exactly," Angela nodded, "You are definitely the 'Anne' to my 'Diana'."

For a moment the two women sat in silence, acknowledging the roles they had each played in each others' lives.

"You'd better get going if you want to get all your shopping done before Booth gets home," Angela said after a few minutes.

They stood simultaneously and embraced, then said their goodbyes. Sadie waved as well and wrapped her pudgy arms around Angela's leg before dashing toward the car. Angela laughed and rubbed her swelling abdomen tenderly, then shooed her friend away, saying that they would see each other soon enough.

It didn't take Temperance long at all to find a suitable bunk bed for the two boys, along with two new mattresses. The salesman assured her that they guaranteed same-day delivery, promising that the truck would arrive between five and six o'clock that evening. He also offered to haul away their current mattress free of charge, but she declined as they needed that mattress for Maddie.

After the furniture store, she and Sadie moved on to the mall. There were several stores that sold children's linens and it was quite an overwhelming task to select ones that she felt would please them the most. Fortunately, a very wise saleswoman suggested that she select a theme for each room so as to narrow her focus. This proved to be a tremendous help, and once she had a theme in mind it didn't take her long at all to find what she was looking for.

By the time they left the mall, Temperance was extremely satisfied with her findings and Sadie was so exhausted, she fell asleep in the car and didn't stir when Temperance transported her from there to the crib.

She had just finished unloading her purchases from the car when Seeley called, wanting to know if they could join him at the diner for lunch. After the busy morning that she and Sadie had had, she didn't think it wise to wake the young girl, so she told him that Sadie was napping. He seemed disappointed, claiming that he understood, but before she could inform him of all that had transpired in their morning to make Sadie so weary he told her that he needed to go and hung up.

After a quick lunch, she began redecorating Parker and Joey's room in the sports theme that she had selected. When she had accomplished as much as she could without the bunk beds being there, she moved on to tidying up the rest of the house. She also made up a list of groceries that would need to be purchased before the children arrived home.

Sadie awoke from her nap around two, and seemed to take great delight in helping her mother decorate the nursery in the dolphin theme that Temperance had selected. They located the directions for converting Sadie's crib into a toddler bed, and once the mattress was on the little girl's level, Temperance showed her how to remove the sheets so that the bedding could be changed. She also taught her daughter where to put the dirty sheets once they were off of the bed and how to put away the toys that littered the floor of her room.

They cleared enough space in the room for Maddie's bed frame and stripped the mattress of Parker's dinosaur sheets. She was contemplating the best way of moving the frame into the other room, when Sadie crawled out from the pile of sheets that she had been playing in, and rushed for the stairs.

"Dada!" she cried as the front door opened.

"Hey, Sadie-girl!" Seeley's voice boomed through the townhouse as he entered.

She heard him mount the stairs to intercept Sadie, who was on her way down, and was not surprised when they both appeared in the doorway to the boys' room.

"Whatcha' up to, Bones?" he asked, surveying the room.

She briefly explained her desire to help Maddie and Joey feel as if they were more than just a temporary fixture, then filled him in on the purchases that she had made that morning, explaining that the bunk beds would arrive soon, along with the two new mattresses. He smiled, apparently amused, but pleased with the initiative that she had taken, and offered to help her move the single bed into the girls' room.

They got it moved without a problem and decided that they needed to go grocery shopping before the truck arrived. It was four-thirty by the time they came back from shopping and at exactly five o'clock, the delivery truck arrived and unloaded the bunk bed and two new mattresses. It was six before the Booths had everything set up and both beds made. Seeley assured her that Parker and Joey would love the Phillies' sheets that she'd found and persuaded her that it was time to stop working and eat.

Once dinner was done, Temperance went back to work on the girls' room, while Seeley oversaw Sadie's bath time. She fitted Maddie's bed with the new sheets that she and Sadie had selected, along with some new throw pillows, and a stuffed dolphin for each of the girls. On coming in from her bath, Sadie immediately grabbed the one that Temperance laid on her pillow, clutching it tightly to her chest.

"Looks like somebody made a new friend," Seeley grinned as the two adults sat down for a break on Maddie's newly-made bed, "And I bet Sadie loves not being in her crib anymore."

As if on cue, Sadie stuck her thumb in her mouth and climbed underneath the covers of her new bed, smiling contentedly.

"Guess it's time for bed, eh kiddo?" Seeley asked, placing a gentle kiss on Sadie's forehead.

Sadie nodded sleepily and the couple tucked her in and bid her goodnight.

"You and I should probably get some shut-eye too," he said as he gently closed Sadie's door, "Tomorrow is going to come a lot sooner than either of us want."

She nodded. It had been a busy day and she was satisfied with the work that she had gotten accomplished, but the next two days also promised to be busy- starting with the six-hour round trip drive to pick up and bring back Maddie and Joey.


	55. The Long Day

**The end is near. Look for the final chapter on either Monday night or Tuesday. Thank you all for your support and reviews.**

**Gum :)**

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"Seeley."

From the depths of his sleep he heard her voice and felt a soft hand touch his shoulder.

"It's time to wake up."

He opened on eye halfway and shut it again, "Still dark."

"It's four-thirty, Seeley," she perched on the edge of the bed beside him, "We agreed that it would be best to leave no later than five so that we can arrive by eight. It's the only way we will miss rush-hour traffic coming and going."

"New plan," he mumbled.

She'd been hovering over him, the warmth from her recent shower radiating through the covers, the scent of her freshly washed hair and body driving him nuts. In one smooth motion, he pulled her down to him and began kissing every square inch of skin he could reach.

She obviously wasn't too opposed to the idea, as she moved to join him under the covers. Her minty toothpaste mingled with his morning breath and her warm body pressed up against his, causing a small groan of pleasure to escape his lips.

"You need to get up," she argued weakly.

"I am," he smirked, pressing further against her to prove his point.

"We're going to be behind schedule."

"I'll be quick."

"You realize," she told him an hour and a half later as they crept along through rush-hour traffic, "That this could have been avoided completely had we left as planned?"

"Sure," he smiled, "But it wouldn't have been nearly as fun."

She rolled her eyes and muttered something about him being incorrigible, but smiled nonetheless, and he shifted his focus back to the road. Traffic really wasn't too bad, as they'd still managed to be on the leading edge of the rush; though no traffic was ever fun. A couple of times he'd been sorely tempted to put on his siren, but Bones had nixed that idea early on. She argued that it was both an abuse of power, and a sure way to wake up Sadie, who hadn't stirred since they'd put her in her car seat.

Once they cleared the traffic, the ride was smooth and uninterrupted. Sadie slept the entire way, while Booth and Bones bickered back and forth in hushed tones on a variety of topics. Three and a half long hours after they left, they finally arrived in Hershey.

No sooner had he gotten out of the car, than Booth's mid-section was assaulted by forty pounds of little boy as Joey ran to greet him. Disguising his wince as a smile, he picked Joey up for a big hug. Joey wrapped his arms tightly around Booth's neck, giving no signs that he wanted to get down any time soon.

On hearing her brother's exclamations, Sadie woke up and began demanding to be freed from her car seat. Bones required her to say please before releasing her. The little girl made a beeline for Joey, and soon Booth had his arms full of kids. Joey was chattering to Booth in one ear, while Sadie chattered to Joey in the other.

To his relief, Bones took Joey from him before Booth either went deaf, or had his back go out on him. They walked together up to where Maddie was waiting patiently for them, along with two of the house parents, and all of the kids' stuff.

Sadie squirmed in his arms to get down as soon as she saw Maddie, and ran as fast as she could toward her big sister for a hug. Maddie broke into a wide grin that got even wider when Booth opened his arms for a hug too. The older girl gently kissed the top of Sadie's head and moved into Booth's arms without any hesitation.

Nestled at his side, Maddie looked cautiously up at Bones, who had set Joey down and come over to join Booth. A nod from the forensic anthropologist was all the encouragement Maddie needed to rush into Bones' arms. Booth watched, touched, as his wife's eyes moistened at the contact, and he noticed a tear slip down Maddie's cheek too as the embrace continued.

Sadie toddled over to join the hug and was thrilled when Maddie picked her up.

"Why don't you two go show Sadie the playground while we pack your stuff?" Booth suggested.

Joey nodded enthusiastically, and the reunited siblings headed over to the small play yard at the side of the house.

The adults set to work loading up the long-weekend's worth of things into the SUV. Afterwards, the two house parents invited the Booths to sit on the porch while the kids continued playing. The man introduced himself as Tom, Joey's house-father, explaining that the porch they were sitting on belonged to the house that he managed. Kathleen, Maddie's house-mother, pointed across the street to where she and Maddie lived. They proceeded to fill the couple in on how both children were progressing.

Tom went first, happy to be able to report that Joey was fitting in well at the house, and responding very positively to Tom- and Tom's wife, MaryAnn. Their house consisted of primarily four and five year-old boys and Joey had made several friends in the short time he'd been there. He was also responding well to the school counselor that had been assigned to him and was catching up quickly academically. No one at the school saw any reason that he should not be admitted into kindergarten for the next school year.

"He also thinks very highly of you, Agent Booth," Tom smiled kindly, "The first week he was with us all he could talk about was his new daddy and how much of a hero you are to him. For a child who was abused for much of his young life, he seems to be well on his way to recovery and much of that stems from the stability that he's found in you as a father figure."

"He's a good kid," Booth's voice came out a bit more gravelly than he would have liked, but Bones took his hand, letting him know that she understood all the emotions stirring in him.

Booth looked wistfully at the little guy, who had his head back, roaring in laughter. It wasn't all that long ago that Joey had flinched any time he'd done something wrong- or whenever anyone reached out to touch him. He was glad that Joey would be okay, and thankful for whatever role he had in that.

"What about Maddie?" Bones addressed Kathleen, diverting the attention away from Booth.

"Well," Kathleen chose her words carefully, "Remember, that of all three children, Maddie is the one who understands the most what has happened- both to her mother, and about the abuse that they suffered at the hands of their grandparents. Her counselor- a woman, by the way- does not think that the damage is irreparable, but it will definitely take more than a month for Maddie to work through things."

Kathleen then went on to explain that, while the little girl was one of the top students in her class at school, she had a hard time making friends, and had not allowed any of the adults to grow close to her. According to the counselor, Maddie still missed her mother, though she was absolutely certain that the Booths would find and arrest Candie's killer. Fortunately, Kathleen said, the girl that Maddie shared a room with was also at the top of their class, and Kathleen felt sure that given time, the two would eventually bond.

"I was surprised to see her embrace either one of you, to be honest," Kathleen told them, "She doesn't let me or my husband, Burt, touch her, and she keeps herself separate from most of the other girls, too, though Penny- her roommate- has been successful in getting her involved in some of our group activities."

The Booths nodded, not completely surprised at the report considering how long it had taken for Maddie to open up to them. It was Booth's turn to squeeze Bones' hand, sympathetically, though, knowing that she was remembering what it was like to be smart and have problems connecting with other kids.

Before any more comments could be made, the adults were interrupted by the kids, who were eager to go home. Booth and Bones thanked Tom and Kathleen, urged the two older kids to say goodbye, and loaded everyone into the SUV. It was a tight fit between the kids and all of their stuff, but they managed to make everyone comfy before they took off.

The ride home was much more animated than the drive there had been. Booth, tired from the early morning, let Bones drive, leaving him to mediate the conversations so that both kids could have their say. Joey went on the longest, but despite what they'd heard from Kathleen, Maddie seemed very positive about the school and said that her roommate, Penny, was her friend. Both kids loved their teachers, as well as all of the extracurricular activities that the school did.

"And right before school's over," Joey grinned, "We get to go to Hershey Park _all day_!"

"Are you looking forward to that as well?" Bones asked Maddie.

She shrugged, "It'll be fun, I guess, but there's a big planetarium right by the school and when we get back from Thanksgiving break we get to learn about the winter sky!"

That led into a conversation about all of the things that Bones had learned from her mother about the stars and constellations. Joey claimed that one day he was going to be an astronaut- or an FBI agent- he hadn't decided yet. Maddie said thoughtfully that she wasn't sure what she wanted to be, but she thought she might enjoy being a teacher.

It was nearing lunch time as they got closer to DC, but everyone agreed that they could wait a little bit until they actually got into the city to eat. Finally, at one forty-five, they all spilled out of the car and into the diner. The older two kids were excited when they found Parker waiting for them with his mom inside, and they quickly commandeered a table for themselves. Sadie, exhausted from the long hours of driving, promptly curled up in Bones' lap, cuddling her new dolphin close, and fell asleep.

Rebecca had already eaten and excused herself shortly after the Booths arrived. She and Drew were going to Drew's folks up in New England and they were eager to get on the road. She bid goodbye to Parker, warning him to behave, and telling him that she would see him Monday after school. Parker- not pleased that he had to go back to school before Maddie and Joey- grumbled a response and waved weakly as Rebecca left before going back to his animated discussion with the Lane kids.

It was three when they got back to the townhouse, and Bones declared that they would all be taking an hour nap before any other activities were planned. The two boys made the biggest fuss, but were soon placated when they saw their new room- and especially the new bunk bed. Joey immediately claimed the bottom and Parker was more than happy with the top. Maddie liked her new room as well, and had no problem when Sadie insisted on sharing the bigger bed with her. In no time at all, the house was still as one by one they all fell asleep.

Two hours later, Booth woke- refreshed- and found Bones down in the kitchen trying to decide what to make for dinner. He persuaded her that pizza would do just fine for tonight and offered to let her go pick them up while he woke up the kids so that they would go to sleep at night.

By the time she got back, the older three were involved in a tight game of Wii Bowling, while Booth and Sadie read on the couch. He'd had the kids set the table before the game started, and they all dug into the food hungrily.

Shortly after dinner, Sadie started yawning again, and was given a bath and put to bed. The older three rotated through their baths too and insisted on staying up, but by nine they were all clearly tired and Booth announced that it was time for bed. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and he assured them that they would all want to be well-rested for all of the activities Hodgins and Angela had planned.

The boys put up a mild protest while Maddie brushed her teeth, but were both yawning widely as he and Bones tucked them in. They moved from the boys' room to the girls' only to find Maddie already under the covers and cuddled up with her new dolphin; a mirror image of Sadie in her toddler bed. She gave them each a hug and a kiss, smiling contentedly as they left.

By the time they'd gone back downstairs and cleaned up after everything, the house was once again silent. Booth locked all of the doors, while Bones turned off all of the lights, and he escorted her up the steps and into their room with his hand on her lower back. Robotically, they both peeled off their clothes, and were under the covers in no time. It was time to sleep.


	56. The End

On the outside, the Hodgins estate was decorated lavishly for Thanksgiving with stalks of dried corn, pumpkins, and gourds of every size, shape, and color. Dried ivy hugged the massive columns out front and the leaves had been raked into piles on either side of the walkway, forming a seasonally appropriate hedge for them to walk between as they approached. As Angela and Jack saw them in, Temperance's nose was assaulted with the scent of cooking food and she shot a sidelong look at her husband, noting how he was nearly salivating in anticipation of the pies.

"When's dinner?" Joey wanted to know as their hosts hung up their coats in a nearby closet.

"Pretty soon," Angela smiled, "You guys wanna check out the movie room 'til it's time to eat?"

Four heads bobbed up and down and the entire group followed Angela's lead through the labyrinth-like mansion. Parker, Seeley, and Jack immediately began debating which of the football teams they felt had the best chance of winning, and even Joey chimed in with his opinion from time to time.

The room had been aptly named and was much larger than the movie room at the safe house in Maryland had been. Not only was the room fully equipped with digital surround sound, Jack boasted, but he had also installed a full-sized screen and a movie projector that rivaled most theaters. Apparently, Jack was a connoisseur of old films and possessed an impressive collection of them on film reels.

"What is a blue ray player?" she whispered to Seeley as Jack continued his male posturing.

"We get our new house, and I'll show you," he smirked in reply.

"We are _not_ constructing a room this large," she told him, "It is completely frivolous."

"Shh," he put a finger on her lips, "You'll hurt Hodgins' feelings."

"No she won't," Jack grinned widely, having obviously overheard them, "It _is_ completely frivolous; but I love it!"

The two men exchanged high-fives, and in an effort to emulate them, the two boys did as well. The two women rolled their eyes.

"Hey Maddie," Angela smiled, "Do you want to come help Bren and I get the table all ready?"

Maddie nodded her head eagerly and, leaving Sadie in the men's care, she, Temperance, and Angela trooped back up to the main floor. When they arrived, they found that the vast bulk of the task had been completed by the household staff already, however the silverware had not yet been set out, nor had glasses and napkins been put at each place. These items were waiting for them in a neat pile at the end of the table.

Angela took great delight in instructing Maddie where to properly place each item. The girl soaked up the information like a sponge and seemed to take her tasks very seriously. When the silverware and glasses were in place, Angela demonstrated how to fold the napkins in such a way that they looked like small turkeys.

Maddie carefully followed the steps given to her, and beamed proudly up at the two women when her creation matched Angela's. The three of them sat down at the table to finish folding all of the rest of the napkins.

"This looks quite festive," Temperance smiled when their tasks were complete, "However, I wasn't aware that you were having any other guests over."

"I've got a couple of surprises up my sleeve," the artist grinned, then consulted her watch, "They should be here anytime now, actually."

As if waiting for her cue, the doorbell announced the arrival of more guests. Angela smirked and motioned for Maddie and Temperance to follow her to the door.

"Max!" Angela threw her arms around the older man, "You made it!"

He nodded, then turned to Temperance for an embrace. She accepted it, feeling a warmth spread over her similar to how she used to feel as a small girl when he would do the same thing.

"I presume coming here was the 'other plans' you were referring to?" she asked when he released her.

Her father nodded, smiling slyly, "Angela beat you to the punch."

"Apparently," she replied dryly.

While they were still in the entryway, the doorbell chimed again, this time revealing Cam, who was apparently not pleased with the cold rain that had just started as she was walking in. Directly behind her was Lance Sweets, and behind him was a figure shrouded in a large raincoat, and dripping water all over the entryway.

"Zack," Temperance cried out, recognizing the familiar posture underneath of his heavy coat.

As soon as he was free of the garment, she gave him wide smile and embraced him. By that time, Jack, Seeley, Parker, and Joey had come up from the movie room to greet the newcomers, and she had no time to ask Zack how he had managed to be freed for the day.

Everyone settled in the large living room and before long a thin, somber man, came to announce that dinner was ready.

"Time to eat!" Sadie squealed loudly.

Seeley managed to catch her arm just before she raced out of the room, and calmly explained that she needed to walk. He also made eye contact with Parker and Joey, making it clear that they were to walk as well.

Temperance was looking around the room to make sure that Maddie was not running either when she felt a tug on her shirt.

"Can I 'scort you, Mommy?" Joey asked, proffering an elbow.

Seeley winked at her and nodded.

"Why, of course," she smiled, "Though wouldn't it be much better if we escorted each other?"

"Nope," the four year-old shook his head firmly, "Daddy says it's what all boys do for girls. He's 'scorting Sadie and Parker's 'scorting Maddie. I got you!"

He beamed, obviously proud of this honor, and steered her as well as he could in the direction of the dining room. Seeley was directing a look at her, communicating that this was not the time to debate male/female interactions, so she held her tongue and allowed Joey to escort her to her chair.

It took a measure of effort on his part, but he managed to pull the chair out for her to sit in, before taking his own place on her left side. Parker and Maddie sat down on the other side of Joey, while Seeley and Sadie sat down to Temperance's right.

"Thanksgiving," Jack began when everyone was seated, "No matter how much it has deviated from the original celebration-"

"No conspiracies now," Angela hissed from her place at his side.

"-is nonetheless a good time to reflect on the blessings that we have been given," he continued smoothly, "It's also a time for family; and that is what each of you are to us. Now, I can see you all cringing because you know I'm about to announce that it's time for us to all go around the table and share what we are thankful for this year- relax.

"That 'tradition' is old and trite and takes way too long," a small chuckle went up from the adults, "Instead, let's all raise a glass and agree that we're thankful for each person sitting at this table, and that the rest is just details."

"Here, here," Max said, raising his glass.

Around the table, glasses clinked together.

"Now," Hodgins said, "For the prayer," he bowed his head reverently and cleared his throat, "Rub a dub dub. Thanks for the grub. Amen," he lifted his head and smirked at the stunned looks he was receiving, "Well, what else are you waiting for people? Dig in!"

A great cacophony of voices sounded as people began asking for food and dishing it out onto their plates. Temperance placed appropriately-sized portions of all of the foods Joey requested, and cut his meat for him, while Seeley made sure that Sadie's needs were taken care of. The older two children seemed to have no problems acquiring their own food so she left the task to them.

The food tasted delicious, and Temperance was very pleased to see that Jack had provided a number of vegetarian dishes since she was not altogether inclined to eat the turkey. She did, however, enjoy the stuffing and mashed potatoes, as well as the homemade cranberry sauce that Angela had prepared herself.

The children were well-behaved for the most part, and were very much enjoying the abundance of food. Maddie blushed, but beamed with pleasure when everyone began complimenting her on the folded napkins. Joey and Parker chattered away about the football game that they were going to watch as soon as dinner was over, while Sadie babbled nonsensical words at anyone who would listen.

After an hour, everyone had had their fill and began pushing their chairs back. Jack announced that they were free to disperse through the house and that dessert would be set up on tables at the back of the movie room. The boys immediately stood up and were halfway there before the adults got moving.

They arrived to find three long tables full of every cooked pastry imaginable, along with an assortment of chocolates and cakes as well. There was a fourth table that was decorated with football paraphernalia and contained several bowls full of snack foods that Booth often purchased when he watched games at home.

Off to one side, a round table had been set up with several comfortable chairs, and there were several toys that were appropriate for Sadie as well. Angela explained that the round table was for anyone _not_ interested in the "testosterone fest" that was taking place below.

"Oh, I'm here for the football," Cam clapped her hands together eagerly, "And the food- gotta find something to replace my cigarettes with."

"Still trying to quit, eh Camille?" Seeley teased.

Cam stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'll join you," Zack told Angela, "I've never seen the attraction to grown men being rewarded for violent actions."

"Eh," Max waved his hand, "NFL's a powder puff league now compared to what it was in my day."

This launched a lively discussion between Cam and the men on how the rules as well as the refereeing of the game had morphed over the years into its current state. Jack and Sweets argued that it made for a tighter game, while Max, Seeley, and Cam said they missed the bloodlust and preferred college football to professional. They settled down only when the game began.

At the round table, Zack, Angela, and Temperance made themselves comfortable, enjoying the present company. Zack informed them that Sweets had gotten permission for Zack to leave the sanatorium for Thanksgiving as they deemed him to be "progressing" in his counseling sessions. Angela moved to the floor to play with Sadie once the two forensic anthropologists began discussing all of the latest advancements in their field, as well as the topics that Temperance planned on publishing on next.

At eight o'clock, Sweets announced that he and Zack needed to leave according to the stipulations of Zack's release. Hugs were exchanged all around and Temperance promised that her visits would be more regular now that the case was closed. Zack assured her that he understood, but said that he had enjoyed their stimulating conversation tonight and would look forward to continuing it in the future.

Soon afterwards, Temperance persuaded Seeley that it was time for them to leave as well. Maddie was becoming bored with the football game, and Joey and Sadie had already curled up and fallen asleep on one of the back couches together. Parker complained that he wanted to stay, but Seeley told him they could watch the rest of the game together at home and the boy relented.

As it turned out, Parker was tired from the day's activities as well, and was sound asleep by the time they pulled into their driveway. The Booths carried the two youngest ones to bed, before gently waking Parker. Maddie hadn't fallen asleep and was in the living room, reading a book when Temperance went looking for her.

Parker begged to stay up for the last two segments of the game, claiming that he was no longer tired. Seeley agreed as long as Parker promised that as soon as the game was over, he would go to bed with no further argument. This seemed agreeable to all parties. Maddie wasn't interested in watching any more football, but she eagerly agreed to play Blitz with Temperance in the dining room.

One hour later and several hands of Blitz later, the football game was over and the weary children stumbled upstairs to prepare for bed.

"Maddie, wait," Temperance told the seven year-old, once Parker went into his bedroom, "We have something for you."

Intrigued, Maddie followed both of them into the adults' bedroom. Maddie and Seeley sat down on the bed while Temperance searched through her dresser.

"Here," she produced an envelope from the drawer and handed it to Maddie, "I believe this is yours."

Tears blossomed in Maddie's eyes and she launched herself into Temperance's arms.

"My letter," the girl cried, "You remembered!"

"Yes," she nodded, stroking Maddie's hair tenderly.

Maddie pulled back all of a sudden and looked Seeley straight in the eye, "You got him," she stated without a trace of doubt in her voice.

"Yeah, Maddie," he reached out his hand to grasp her shoulder, "He'll never hurt your family again."

She nodded, looking torn as to whether to go into his arms or back into Temperance's. Without a second thought, Seeley scooped her up into his lap, moved closer to Temperance, and pulled both of them in for a tight embrace. It was the right move, and though Maddie sniffled a couple more times, she had a bright smile on her face when she finally let go.

"Will you need it again?" she asked, "For the trial?"

Temperance was surprised that Maddie realized there would be a trial, but she shook her head.

"Nope," Seeley told her, "We've got copies and plenty of other evidence to put him away for a long time."

"Good," a grin flashed across her small face before a more somber look replaced it, "May I read it before I go to bed?"

"Of course," Temperance answered without hesitation, "We'll go down to the living room so that you can be alone."

"Thanks," she said, then regarded them both shyly, "I had a really good Thanksgiving today- probably the best ever. I'm really glad you guys are my mom and dad now; and thanks for all of the new bedroom stuff. Feels like home."

"You are home," Temperance told her, planting a kiss on her forehead, "We all are."

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**This is, sadly, the end. I started writing the first part of this series, Wonderful World, back in October just after my hubby and I found out I was pregnant. In 2 weeks(5 days after the Season finale), we have a little son who is scheduled to make his grand arrival into the world, so it's been quite a long journey. If you add the total # of chapters between Home and Wonderful World, they equal 100, so this is a fitting place to end.**

**Thanks so much to those of you who've traveled with me :) Please, let me know what you think. I'll be finishing up my 100 Themes, but other than that, I'm not seeing any larger projects on the horizon.**

**Take Care,**

**Gum :)  
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	57. New Story Note

**Author's Note:**

**I thought I had done this before, but apparently not. So for those of you who don't know, there is a new story with these same characters called "Behind Blue Eyes". It's a case fic that takes place 3.5 years after "Home" ends.**

**Gum**


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